The Beauty Within
by missy7293
Summary: Daryl Dixon finds himself attracted to a talented woman that does not fit the norms of what society finds attractive. Eventually they find themselves fleeing to Alaska to escape the outbreak. Daryl deals with falling in love, proving his self worth, and re-connecting with his family as he gets over the demons from his past.
1. Chapter 1

None of them had a clue what she had been through. She didn't have the cookie cutter beauty that the other girls performing that night had, but she had one thing she was confident in, and that was musical talent. For so many years she had kept it hidden from others, but now in her late twenties she was finally brave enough to share her secret with others…if they could get past her appearance and just give her a chance.

Daryl and Merle had arrived at the local bar an hour earlier. Merle was his usual outspoken rowdy self while Daryl quietly sat down at the bar and ordered a beer. He had been chain smoking out of nervousness for the past half hour and sat through a few of the Barbie doll performers whom all sounded alike to him. He knew girls like that, pretty packages on the outside but an empty box once you took off the wrapping. He wouldn't even be here tonight if Merle hadn't dragged him out of the house.

He spotted Merle across the bar chatting up some bubble headed blonde with her double D breast barely within the confines of her shirt. Merle was so fucking predictable. No wonder he seemed to get the clap every few months…he thought with his dick and not with his heart. Of course, Daryl wasn't known for being a Casanova. He had the occasional hook up that he would give into usually after a night of heavy drinking. He hated that his primal desires would take him over after he had consumed enough alcohol to put most men under the table. The worst part was the awkward departure the next morning. He couldn't explain it, but for some reason women were attracted to him but unfortunately those women weren't much better than the women Merle would always chase.

Daryl was taken from his thoughts as he heard the music begin again on stage. The powerful voice he heard caught his attention and he turned to watch the performer. The emotion and power that came from her voice was projected unto the audience and Daryl felt he could feel every word she was singing. That led him to study the woman that was singing, conveying all of her passion and angst through the music. She was playing the piano along with singing and he wasn't sure if he had ever heard anything quite so mesmerizing.

He surmised that the songstress was probably in her late twenties, a bit younger than he was. She wasn't one of the skinny ditzes that had been performing for the most of the evening by any means. This woman was definitely different, and Daryl liked that about her. She was a heavyset girl with chestnut brown hair that fell past her shoulders and some of the most beautiful brown eyes he had ever seen. There was a passion in those eyes that captured Daryl the first moment he saw them, but there was something else that he noticed too…sadness. He also realized her vocal range was off the chart and with her playing her own accompaniment he now couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Merle sauntered over to the bar and Daryl couldn't help but ask him "Do you know who this girl singing is?"

"Hmph…that cow?" Merle said laughing.

"Merle, she's really good and I don't think she's all that bad." Daryl said. Sometimes he hated his brother.

"Her name is Davia Longstreet. She's a shy little girl who happens to sing and play pretty good. I better not see you sniffing around her Darylina. Dixon's don't need to be seen with someone like that. You can do much better." Merle said.

Daryl was pissed at how quickly Merle judged the woman. "Merle, fuck off. I was just asking is all." He said trying to get his brother to now drop the subject.

"Better be just asking. Now I'm off to go back to April…Merle will be getting lucky tonight with that fine blonde goddess over there." He told Daryl. Daryl just rolled his eyes in disgust. It probably meant another night of shoving a pillow over his head trying to sleep while Merle was panting and grunting away in the next room. He really wasn't sure what women saw in his older brother, but when Merle wanted to be charming, he was better than most.

Daryl listened intently to the rest of the set and when Davia finished singing Daryl found himself clapping and cheering enthusiastically. Maybe the four beers he drank gave him courage, but when Davia exited the stage Daryl made his way over to the small table where she was sitting alone.

"Um, do you mind if I sit down with you?" Daryl asked. This was probably the boldest move he had ever made before, but there was something so different about this girl that he couldn't stop himself from wanting to get to know her.

In a very quiet voice she said "yes" looking up at him through her long eyelashes. Daryl thought she was beautiful…more so than any other woman in the place. She wasn't his usual type, but there was something about her that drew him in.

"Look, I don't normally do things like this, but you were incredible up there. My name is Daryl." He told her.

When Davia wasn't singing she was painfully shy. She really only had a few friends and her family was gone. Living a lonely existence was her normal lifestyle. Now suddenly there was a very handsome country boy sitting at her table telling her how great she sang. To be honest Davia didn't know how to respond.

"Thank you. I'm Davia." She managed to get out.

Merle spotted his brother across the bar and flew hot when he saw that Daryl was sitting with plump singer having a conversation. He had warned his idiot of a brother that Dixon's don't need to be seen with girls like that. Sure, she had more talent than most of the performers he had seen, but she wasn't what Merle would consider "Dixon Quality." Merle marched his way over to where Daryl was sitting with Davia.

"Daryl, a word?" Merle commanded.

Daryl knew what was going to be next, and it infuriated him. "Look, Don't start. I fucking like her and I want to get to know her, so take your ass away from us right now. Got it?"

"I won't allow it baby brother. You don't need to be sniffing around a bump on the log like that. Look at her…you wouldn't be able to afford feeding her."

"Damnit Merle, she ain't even that big. At least she ain't some coked up whore. Leave me and her the fuck alone or I'm gonna beat your ass, and you know I can do it." Daryl threatened.

"It's your prison sentence boy. Just don't ask me to go along with it. And if you bring her back to the house, I don't want to hear the sounds of a whale mating." Merle told him.

Daryl snapped at Merle's final comment. First of all, He didn't see Davia as the type girl you have a one night stand with, and secondly, she wasn't by any means a huge girl. She had curves and little extra meat on her bones, but Daryl thought it looked good. The girls Merle usually hooked up with were almost skeletal and most of them were so strung out on coke they probably only ate once a week.

"Merle, fuck off and leave me and her alone. I ain't asking you again." Daryl told him.

"Whatever" was Merle's response as he stomped off back towards the skank he had been hanging with all evening.

Daryl walked over to Davia and sat back down. "Sorry, my brother is an asshole."

"Merle Dixon is your brother? I don't think he likes me very much…I've heard some of his snarky comments. He probably isn't thrilled you are talking to me, I'm not the type of person he associates with." Davia replied.

"Well Merle ain't known for being the brightest bulb in the chandelier. Would you like to get out of here and maybe grab something to eat?" Daryl asked, surprised at his own boldness.

"That would be nice." She said. She still couldn't believe that this man was actually taking the time to speak to her. However, she figured he just felt sorry for her or he was desperate. She knew she wasn't the greatest at holding a conversation and Daryl was most likely used to women who were both more attractive than her and also a lot more social.

Daryl stood up and allowed Davia to get up as well. She got her purse and he guided her out to his truck. She nervously got in. "Don't worry Davia, I ain't gonna force myself on you. Me and Merle are very different from each other." He assured her when he sensed her apprehension.

He drove them to a late night diner and the two of then entered and sat in an empty booth in the corner. Daryl felt it very easy to talk to Davia and she found Daryl easy to talk with as well. She detected that he had come from a difficult home life, not unlike herself, and that his brother had more influence over him that he would admit.

"So how did you become a singer?" Daryl asked.

"Out of necessity I guess. My dad walked out on my mom before I was even born, and she died of a heroin overdose when I was four. Spent my life going from foster home to foster home. I didn't have anything consistent in my life except for music. I barely graduated high school, so college was out of the picture and singing has been the only way I can pay the bills. It's not much, but it's enough to feed me and put a roof over my head." She told him. It was probably the most she had spoken to anyone in years.

"Yeah, I spent some time in a foster home right after my momma died. It wasn't a good experience, I just hope yours was better than mine." He told her.

She just nodded, not volunteering anything else about her past. They continued to talk on until Daryl realized it was nearly four in the morning. "I reckon I need to take you back so you can get your car and get home and get some rest."

"I can walk Daryl. I don't own a car…I can't afford it and I don't really know how to drive. I either walk or take the bus if I need to get around." She informed him.

"I ain't gonna let you walk. I will take you home myself and make sure you get home safely." He assured her.

"You don't have to Daryl…it wouldn't be the first time I walked home late by myself." She told him.

"It's not safe and I want to make sure you are OK. Trust me Davia, I ain't out to hurt you." He replied.

Daryl paid the bill and then escorted Davia out to his truck. He followed her instructions and drove her to her small apartment. He wasn't sure as to whether or not he should drop her off or walk her to her door, but he chose the safer option and walked her to her door. If she had been one of his usual hook ups he would have made a move to get himself invited in and have a drunken romp, but Daryl wasn't drunk and Davia wasn't a hook up.

"Are you performing tonight?" He asked. It was a Saturday night and he knew the bar would be crowded, and her normally didn't like large crowds, but if she were singing then he wanted to hear her perform.

"I am. Do you have plans to come back to the bar tonight?" She asked.

"Do now. I can pick you up and bring you so you don't have to walk. What time do you go on stage?" He asked.

"Nine. But you don't need to feel obligated, I can walk." She said.

" You don't need to be walking after dark in this town. Something could happen to you. I will pick you up at seven and we can grab dinner before you go on. No arguments." He told her.

Davia couldn't believe how kind this man was. She was feeling flutters in her stomach that she had never felt before. Most of the time she was more than just a little suspicious when she received male attention. Some bad decisions in her past had left her in a couple of very bad circumstances, but those men had given her a bad vibe to begin with, but she was so desperate for companionship she was willing to ignore those feelings. Daryl was different. He had trustworthiness to him that she had never experienced. He hadn't volunteered much about himself, but he did put forth the effort to try to get to know her. No one had ever seemed to really care before. She had always heard the stories about how Merle was, rough, mean, and addicted to various drugs, but Daryl didn't seem to fit this profile. Daryl most likely had spent his life growing up in his brother's shadow, but still somehow was able to maintain a bit of his own self.

Daryl picked up Davia that evening. He was dressed in his cleanest pair of jeans, boots, and a black buttoned up shirt. They were the nicest clothes he had. Daryl had a job as an electrician, but he didn't make the best wage and supporting his brother and himself on his measly salary wasn't easy. Merle refused to work, and anytime he had an opportunity to get a job he would either fail the drug test or if he was lucky enough to get hired, he would lay out of work too much to continue to be employed.

Davia had on cowboy boots, boot cut jeans that hugged her curves, and a red scoop neck blouse. She wore some vintage jewelry to accent her outfit and her wavy chestnut hair worn down completed her look perfectly. Daryl had thought about her all day long and seeing her caused his breath to hitch. He didn't see why others didn't realize how beautiful she was. He wasn't going to complain though, that meant he didn't have to compete for Davia's attention and he liked that. Daryl wasn't much of a conversationalist, and Davia wasn't either, but somehow he found her easy to talk to.

He took her to dinner at a small steakhouse and they spoke comfortably with each other. Daryl finally got up enough nerve to ask her if she was involved with anyone romantically.

"Are you kidding? Look at me…men don't like girls like me. I am always the first to get 'friend zoned'" She informed him.

"Their loss" Daryl told her. Those two words made her smile. Could he actually be interested in her? She doubted it. He could have any woman he wanted and she guessed he just felt sorry for her like all the others did. The one time she thought she was in love it turned out that the guy was gay. "Oh no" she thought to herself… "could he be?" She looked at him a bit closer and observed his mannerisms. There wasn't anything about him that led her to believe he was interested in men, but with her luck…

"I haven't dated a woman seriously in many years myself. Women like you don't usually give me the time of day when they realize I ain't nothing but redneck trash." He admitted to her.

"Whew" she thought…he wasn't gay. OK, then why was he still here with her? Self-doubt was quickly over taking her and she finally blurted out "Daryl, why are you being so nice to me? I ain't nothing, and I definitely don't see you as redneck trash."

"That's where you are wrong Davia. I like you. Been thinking about ya all day. Anyone who doesn't see how special you are is a fool." He said, blushing as he spoke to her honestly.

"You really like me? That's interesting because I like you too Daryl, but I don't really know how to do any of this. There are things about my past that I think if you found out you wouldn't be here with me." She admitted.

"Past is the past…mine isn't a fairy tale either." He told her.

Davia shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she remembered all of her dark secrets that still haunted her. She looked down at her watch "Daryl, it's about time to head over to the bar."

He paid the check and then stood up and took her hand and led her to the truck. As she was about to get into the truck Daryl pulled her to him and placed a chaste kiss on her. He could feel her tense up at the contact. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean too make you feel uncomfortable." He said.

"No Daryl, that was nice. I wasn't expecting it was all. Like I said, I'm not used to anything like this." Tears began to slip from her eyes, as she was overwhelmed with emotions.

Daryl silently beat himself up. He was sure his boldness had scared the girl away from him. He cursed himself for being so forward, but he couldn't help himself, as he never felt this way about someone before.

"Davia, I would like to get to know you better. And if you give me a chance, we will take this as slow as you need. I don't know the first thing about having a real relationship with someone, but if you give me a chance, I want to learn." He admitted to her.

Without thinking Davia took a breath and stood up on her toes and pulled Daryl too her. She very carefully kissed him and was amazed when he reciprocated. She hadn't much experience with the opposite sex, but she decided to go with her instincts. Before they both knew it the kiss had progressed into a passionate exchange with both of their tongues intertwined. Daryl felt the blood rush to parts of his body that normally didn't perk up unless he was drunk and Davia felt a fire inside her that she had never experienced.

They both broke away from each other breathless. "Reckon I need to take you the bar so I can share you with others." He said smiling.

"Can we pick this up later?" She asked.

"You don't even need to ask." He replied back to her.

**Just a quick one shot story. I might expand it later if people are interested. I can so see Daryl being attracted to someone who doesn't have conventional beauty. He has a tendency to see people for who they are and not what they look like. **

**Let me know what you think.**

**Thanks-**

**Missy**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I decided to expand this into an actual story. Please let me know what you think.**

After they had enjoyed their dinner Daryl brought Davia to the bar to sing. In a very Non Daryl Dixon like move he sat down at the table closest to the stage so he could watch Davia perform up close. There was a slight hush that came over the crowd as Davia began to perform and Daryl let himself get lost in the music. There was something so heartfelt and magical in Davia's music. He couldn't put his finger on it, but somehow he knew that each word she sang rang true to her in some way. As she performed for the bar patrons, she looked up quickly to see Daryl and she managed to give him a small smile. That one little look sent a jolt of electricity through his body that left him smiling in return.

Daryl was so caught up in Davia's performance that he didn't notice that Merle, April, and one of Daryl's old hook-ups had maneuvered their way to his table. Merle was grinning like a possum when Daryl finally noticed that he had taken a seat at the table with the other two females.

"Hey Baby Brother, remember Cheryl here? She's been missing you…" He said.

Daryl just grunted "Hey."

Cheryl then began to purr "Hey sugar, I haven't forgot about our last meeting. If you want a repeat performance I am always available. I wouldn't mind wrapping my legs around that nice strong body again."

Merle let out a cheer "See Darylina-she's willing to give you a good fuck and you won't even have to feed her before hand. She's a lot hotter than that fat lump on the stage you've been hanging with." Merle said.

"Merle, shut the fuck up…again. If you don't leave Davia alone I'm going to kick your ass…I mean it. And Cheryl Darling…I ain't interested. If I hadn't been so shit faced I would have never fucked you. Got it…so forget I even exist and get the hell out of here…all of you." Daryl said angrily. He was sick and tired of Merle's nasty comments regarding Davia.

"Fine, enjoy your side of beef…I think I'm going to enjoy both April and Cheryl tonight. Come on ladies, anyone interested in a threesome? Old Merle is man enough for both of ya." He said as he stormed off from his younger brother. Daryl didn't realize that Merle wasn't done with trying to get Davia away from him. She was an embarrassment to Daryl, which meant she would be an embarrassment to him as well.

Davia had caught the interaction while she performed and her heart sank when she saw the attractive female sit down with Daryl. Surprisingly though, it looked like Daryl sent her away and the female looked more than just a little bit pissed as she stomped off with Daryl's brother after being rejected. She hated to admit it, but it made her feel good.

When Davia finished her set she received a huge ovation from the crowd. Daryl thought she sounded a lot like Adele, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings and tell her that if she wasn't a fan of Adele's music. When she left the stage she cautiously made her way over to Daryl whom stood up and pulled her chair out for her when she came to sit down. He wasn't sure what was causing him to act this way, but when he was around Davia he wanted to be as chivalrous as possible. She had him in the palm of her hands and had no idea how smitten he was with her.

Without asking Daryl ordered himself and Davia a drink. He noticed she had a peculiar look on her face when he placed the order so he inquired if she would like something besides the beer he had ordered for each of them.

"Honestly Daryl, I've never really had alcohol before. With my mother's addictions I always felt it was best just to avoid it. With my luck I would actually like it." She admitted.

"Really, you ain't never had a drink before? What do you normally do after you finish a set? I figured you would have a few drinks to unwind." He said.

"I normally have a hot tea with honey and lemon. It's good for the vocal chords." She told him.

"Well if you are willing to try a drink, I have an idea of something that you might like." He told her.

"OK, I trust you Daryl. Just promise me you won't let me do anything stupid." She joked.

"I promise to take care of you Davia. By the way, you were incredible tonight on stage. It pure made the hair on my arms stand up. Why are you performing in a little bar like this when you should be in Nashville or something." He told her.

"In Nashville you have to have talent AND look the part. I think you understand what I'm saying." She said to him.

"I wish you could see you for how beautiful you are." He said, shocked that he admitted it to her out loud. Daryl couldn't believe how all of his usual walls he put up just crumbled in her presence. He smiled when Davia blushed three shades of red and looked down. He reached out with his hand and cupped her chin, bringing her face up so she could look him in the eyes. Daryl gazed at her intently and then leaned in and gave her a kiss. God this was different for him because he wasn't drunk and he was actually showing a public display of affection. As he pulled away from the kiss he noticed Merle watching him on the other side of the bar. When Daryl made eye contact Merle just glared and shook his head. "Fuck him" Daryl thought to himself. For once Daryl felt happy, excited, and well…normal and he wasn't going to let Merle or anyone else screw this up.

The bar owner himself delivered the drinks to Davia and Daryl. He was an older man who retired from his job as a civil engineer three years earlier and decided, along with his wife, to open up the bar. His name was Dale and Davia liked him because he was more than willing to give her a chance to perform, despite her appearance.

"Sorry to interrupt you two, but Davia, I was wondering if I could talk you into an extra performance this week. We've got a wedding reception here next Saturday afternoon, and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind. You're by far my best performer and the pay is double." He said.

"Sure Mr. Horvath, just let me know what time and I will be here. Who is getting married?" She asked. The town of Blue Ridge was small enough that she knew most people and she was curious to who's nuptials she would be performing for.

"The oldest Greene girl, Maggie, and Glenn." He told her.

Glenn was employed by Dale as a chef (OK, that might be a stretch in the description) in the bar. He was in culinary school and was working for Dale to earn extra money to pay for his education. Davia had shared a few conversations with Glenn in the past and she really liked the younger man and appreciated his quirkiness. She knew the Greene family, but not that well. When she was younger she attended the local Baptist church with them and knew the youngest daughter Beth was a singer as well. She had even gone so far as teach Beth a few songs while she was an active participant in the Youth Choir. Of course this was ten years ago and she hadn't really interacted with anyone in the family since then. Other than an occasional greeting as they passed in town, she hadn't seen them. Davia had become such an introvert that she really didn't interact with anyone. Daryl had no idea how lucky he had been to get her to even speak with him.

"Sure Dale, I could use the cash and I really like the Greene family."

"Good girl…and don't forget to pick up your pay tonight before you leave." He told her, giving her a warm smile.

"Thank you Dale." She said giving him a warm smile in return.

Daryl reached for his beer while handing the other drink to Davia. She was surprised, but the drink was served in a mug, not a glass.

"What is this?" She asked.

"It's called a hot toddy. It has Crown Royal, lemon juice, and honey. If you ever have a sore throat it's great for making you feel better." He told her.

"Is that because of the honey and lemon or the liquor." She joked.

"Did you actually just make a joke Ms. Davia?" Daryl asked, giving her a rare smile.

She just smiled back, once again looking at the floor. For some reason direct eye contact was difficult for her. Daryl assumed she must have been told she was worthless her entire life and as a result she didn't feel like she was worthy enough to look other people in the eye, even a low life like himself.

He reached out and once again placed his hand under her chin and guided her face upward so she would make eye contact. "Davia, you don't have to keep looking down when I pay you a compliment. You have beautiful eyes and I like to look at them." He said, trying to encourage her.

"I'll try, guess it's a bad habit." She told him, trying to maintain the eye contact. Davia had to admit to herself that Daryl had one of the most handsome faces she had ever seen. He had an intensity in his gaze that caused her stomach to flip…and those blue eyes. His features were rugged and masculine and his hair was soft and shaggy as it framed his face perfectly.

He encouraged her to take a sip and try the drink. She nodded and took a sip, and was surprised at the warmth as the alcohol slid down her throat smoothly. "This isn't too bad. It's like a hot tea with a bit of a kick." She admitted.

"Told ya." He said.

They engaged in conversation for the next hour and Daryl excused himself to go to the restroom. He had drunk two beers and his bladder was protesting. "I'll be right back." He promised.

Davia was feeling relaxed and was enjoying her time with Daryl immensely. She wasn't sure what he saw in her, but he was nothing but a total gentleman and made her feel like she was the only girl in the world. Tonight may have been the most incredible night she had ever experienced and she had to thank the country boy who had been keeping her company for the most part of the past twenty-four hours.

Merle spotted Davia alone at the table after Daryl had gotten up to relieve himself. If Daryl wasn't going to listen to him then Merle was going to go after the other party directly…Davia.

Davia was enjoying the male performer on stage when she was disturbed from her thoughts as Merle flopped down in the chair that Daryl had been occupying earlier.

"Hello Miss Piggy. I'm only gonna tell you this once, so listen real good. You forget you ever met my baby brother or I will make your life a living hell. Dixon's don't need to be seen around the likes of girls like you. I don't like you and my little brother thinks he's gonna rescue you or something. I don't care how you do it, but you need to end things with him now or it's going to go badly for both of you. I can't have him sullying the Dixon name with a girl like you."

The words cut through her like a knife. Merle saw her just like everyone else did a worthless girl who was undesirable and useless. She tried to hold back the tears, but couldn't ignore the hurt. Daryl was the first good thing she had ever experienced and he had made her feel special, but Merle and other's seemed to think she was bad for him. Quickly Davia stood up, grabbed her purse and ran out of the bar. Merle smiled smugly pleased with chasing off the girl. She may have been nice and had a lot of talent, but she wasn't Dixon quality, and his little brother was too stupid to realize what a girl like him would do to the family reputation. Dixon's didn't do "nice"…they did hot, sexy, and no strings attached. Fuck 'em and leave 'em.

Daryl had exited the rest room in time to see Merle sitting at his table and Davia grabbing her things and running out of the bar. He rushed over to confront his older brother.

"What the fuck did you do?" Daryl yelled.

"Just trying to clean up a problem you aren't willing to face." Merle told him.

"I'm sick of this shit Merle. You need to let me live my own GodDamn life. Davia has more class in her little finger than you have in your entire thick headed body. Why can't you let me be fucking happy for once? You know what Merle, Fuck you. I want your shit out of the house tonight, I'm tired of supporting your lazy drug addicted ass…" Daryl didn't even have time to finish his sentence before Merle reached back and slugged his baby brother in the face with his fist.

"You listen to me you ungrateful little shit…I've been taking care of you since before you could even wipe your ass. Ain't no one ever gonna love ya but me baby brother. So you need to forget about Davia and chock this up to bad decisions on your part." Merle informed him.

"Fine, you won't leave, then I'm out…it's about time I'm on my own anyway." He told his brother.

Before Merle could respond Daryl got up and went and paid the bill so he could go find Davia. He prayed she would still talk to him after what he could only imagine Merle had said to her. Dale had witnessed Davia leaving and Daryl's altercation with Merle.

"Daryl, I assume you are going to find Davia. Can you bring her the money I owe her for tonight?" Dale asked.

"Sure thing, I'm sorry for my brother being an Asshole, but I'm gonna make sure Davia is OK. Don't worry about her yet." Daryl told Dale after he saw the concern on the older man's face.

"Thanks son, hard to believe you and Merle are actually related." He said. Daryl just shook his head in agreement.

Davia must have been walking at a pretty good clip, as Daryl didn't pass her on her route home. He was concerned in the fact that Davia had been drinking and she wasn't accustomed to alcohol or it's effects. It took him just over five minutes to arrive at her apartment and he quickly parked the truck and went up to her door and knocked.

Davia answered the door, her eyes red and puffy making it painfully obvious she had been crying. When he saw her he didn't even ask to come in, but slipped into her doorway and embraced the girl completely in his arms. She began to sob and he was furious with Merle for causing her such pain. Davia didn't show a lot of emotion, but at this moment he saw how visibly upset and hurt she was.

"Davia, I'm so sorry. My brother is an asshole jerk and I'm done with him. I'm gonna sleep in my truck tonight and find another place to live tomorrow. I got a little bit of money saved and I just need to get out of that place anyhow." He told her.

"Daryl maybe you should just leave me be. I'm bad for you and your reputation. Merle was right, you can do better." She said flatly.

"Davia, I don't care what Merle said, I want to be with you. Ever since I first heard you sing last night I can't keep you off my mind. You are different from any woman I have ever met, and I can't explain it, but I am falling for you hard. Normally I'm just some redneck asshole who doesn't speak to anyone, but when I'm with you, all I want to do is talk to ya, get to know ya, and just be with ya, even if we don't speak." He couldn't believe he just poured out his heart to this girl.

"Daryl, you don't know me, I'm damaged and I have no experience with dating or relationships. Please, you need to leave and forget about me…I'm just going to cause you embarrassment." She insisted.

Daryl didn't know what came over him, but he wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her into a feverish kiss. She stood stiffly at first, probably from the shock of his actions, and then before she knew it she began to respond to his passion. Davia melted when his lips encompassed hers and she gently parted them as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. He began to walk her to the couch and before they both knew it they were engrossed in a hot and heavy make-out session on the couch. Davia pulled away so she could catch her breath. Her cheeks were flushed and Daryl was breathing just as heavy as she was.

"Wow" was all he could manage to say.

"Yeah, wow" was her response. They both caught their breath then continued again.

Finally pulling away before things got out of hand, Daryl spoke, not letting go of her hand.

"I have your pay from Dale."

"Thanks Daryl. Hey, I was thinking, since you were planning on sleeping in your truck, why don't you just stay here. You can have my bed and I will sleep on the couch."

"Ain't gonna ask you to give up your bed. I'll be fine in the truck, won't be the first time I've slept in it." He admitted.

"How about then you sleep on the couch. Will that work? I don't want you to sleep in your truck. If you want, I can help you find a place to live tomorrow." She said.

"OK, as long as you are comfortable with it." He told her.

"Yes I am." She told him.

He took a look around at her apartment and noticed it was small, but immaculately kept. There was a small but open kitchen with a bar that separated it from the living area. The furniture was nice and comfortable and she had a flat screen TV on the wall over a fireplace. Everything was tastefully decorated in a modern décor and she had a piano sitting in the corner. Other than the TV and a computer she had in her bedroom, that was about the only thing she had of high value. He peaked into her room and noticed she had a queen-size bed and had the entire room decorated in a red, black, and white décor. It was by far homier and more comfortable than the sterile house he lived in with Merle. Just the thought of getting out from under Merle caused Daryl mixed feelings, but he knew if he wanted to pursue a relationship with Davia he needed to get away from Merle immediately.

Daryl was brought from his thoughts when Davia asked him if he wanted to watch a movie. "It's only midnight and I am kind of a night owl." She admitted.

"Sure, we can watch whatever you want." He said.

"Great, I've been wanting to watch Gone with the Wind." She told him.

"Um…" Daryl responded. He knew the movie was basically a chick flick and it was also about four hours long.

"Gotcha!" She replied giggling.

"I would have watched it with you…just to be with ya." He admitted to her.

"Don't worry, I'm not that heartless. I've got some comedies over there in my collection. You pick out what you want to see and we can watch it." She said.

He made his way over to the shelves that had her DVD's and he noticed her music collection. His mouth almost dropped when he saw there were at least a thousand CD's and probably about a hundred vinyl albums. He let out a low whistle "I ain't never seen so much music in one person's house."

"You could say it was my hobby and my passion. It keeps me company."

"Well I hope ya let me keep ya company too some time." Daryl told her as he blushed for being so forward.

"I would like that very much Daryl. Have you had any luck in picking a movie?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's an old one but it's still funny." He said as he handed her an old John Candy Movie "Summer Rental"

"Good choice, this movie is funny as heck." She said as s he put the movie in the DVR and then sat down on the couch beside Daryl.

"Funny as Heck huh? Do you not swear?" He asked.

"Wasn't sure if I would offend you or not, so I tried to keep it PG." She said smiling.

"You won't fucking offend me…so no worries." He said teasing her back.

They watched the movie with Davia leaning into Daryl as he had his arms around her comfortably. They had caught themselves making out a few times during the movie but Davia would nervously pull away before anything got to serious. Daryl picked up on the fact that she had very limited experience when it came to men so he was cognizant of letting her lead their romantic interactions.

As the night passed into the wee hours of the morning Daryl decided it would be best if they went to sleep. Davia and he pulled out the couch into a sofa bed and made it up for Daryl. She helped him get settled in and she gave him a final kiss before she made her way into her own room. She was tired but excited too. She had never had any male ever willingly stay at her home and part of her wanted to invite Daryl into her own bed just so she could be near him. However, Davia had zero experience when it came to being with a man. She was nearly twenty-nine years old and still a virgin…well sort of…

The sofa bed was more comfortable than Daryl's worn out bed at his house. He was trying hard to fall asleep but all he could think about was the girl in the next room. The sheets smelled like her perfume and it was driving Daryl wild. He had so much he had to do the next day, but honestly all he wanted to do was go into the bedroom and take Davia in his arms and just hold her until they both fell asleep. After and hour he finally drifted off asleep, Davia's beautiful face was pictured brightly in his mind. His last thoughts as he fell into a deep sleep were of him and Davia living in a house together deep in the woods…

**Is this too slow? Wasn't sure about what you would think...This story is a bit of a twist in that it is usually a female trying to put Daryl back together. **

**FYI- Davia will never be a super hero or super model in this story. She's a real woman with real flaws like we all have, so I don't think she will be kicking any asses in this story...though maybe she might have to take a swing at Merle at some point LOL...**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	3. Chapter 3

Daryl awoke just after sunrise that morning. He was a bit confused as to his location when he first opened his eyes then he remembered all that had happened the previous evening. He reached up and could feel the soreness in his face where Merle had punched him. Fucking asshole…Then Daryl remembered he was finally ridding himself of his piece of shit brother.

Daryl made his way out of the bed and went to the bathroom to relieve his self. Davia appeared to still be sleeping so Daryl decided to see what he could find in the kitchen. The cupboards were neat and tidy with all of the food labels facing the same way and as he continued to look at what she had for food, then he realized it had been alphabetized as well. In Daryl's house it was possible to finds cans of food stored in the fridge, under the cabinets, above the cabinets, or still left in a bag on the counter. With his work schedule and his worthless brother Daryl didn't normally take the time to clean the house or organize much. It was pointless because the few times he had managed to get the house clean Merle would just come in and trash all of his hard work.

Daryl found some items to put together to make Davia and him breakfast. He made up some pancakes and had found some berries frozen in the freezer. He made a berry flavored syrup like his mother had made him when he was a child and placed the food on the table. Daryl had taken the liberty of fixing a pot of coffee and noticed that Davia had some flavored cream in the fridge and not knowing which she wanted he also placed those on the table as well. He decided to make some bacon and sausage to go along with the pancakes and as he was finishing up Davia walked out of her room as the smells in the kitchen had awoken her.

"Oh My God, this looks scrumptious," she said as she witnessed the feast Daryl had laid out on the table. "I hope you didn't feel obligated to do this Daryl, I would have gladly made you breakfast."

"No, it's the least I could do for you putting me up last night. Slept better here on your pull-out couch than I sleep in my own bed." He told her.

Daryl noticed how different she looked in the morning. Her face was fresh and flawless and all traces of the makeup she wore the night before were gone. She had on shorts and a T-shirt and he couldn't help but notice she wasn't wearing a bra. He had always seen her in loose fitting clothing and seeing her in a pair of shorts and a fitted T-shirt confirmed what he had thought and that was that Davia wasn't a big girl at all. He would classify her as voluptuous and curvy. She had ample breasts, and hips that were rounded and flared out perfectly. His uncle would have said she was "made for having babies." He also noticed she was tall as well, probably at least five-eight.

Her hair was down and he realized it went three quarters of the way down her back and fell in chestnut waves. That with her smoky brown eyes and her long lashes would take Daryl's breath away. She was stunning and had no idea how beautiful she was. Someone in her past destroyed her self-esteem and Daryl wanted more than anything to be able to convince her that she was worth so much more than she thought of herself.

"Um, Daryl…if you want to get your things and move them in here until you can find a place, that's OK with me." She said shyly not looking at him directly in his eyes. Her hair fell like a curtain hiding her features, and he could hear the apprehension in her voice as she made the offer to him.

"I ain't sure Davia, I don't want to be a burden to ya…but I do want to spend more time with ya. If I do then I'm going to cover all your bills until I find something. Will that be fair?" He asked.

"Oh no Daryl…that's too much. You don't have to pay anything, you can save up for your moving expenses." She told him.

"No, I insist Davia. It most likely won't be for very long anyhow. I ain't picky about where I live and I will be out of your hair in no time." He told her.

She tried to smile…but part of her wanted Daryl with her all the time. She had only known him for a few days and normal social protocol would frown upon her desires, but Daryl was nicer and more respectful to her than anyone she had ever met and she truly wanted to trust him. But for Davia a lifetime of heartbreak and people taking advantage of her made it almost impossible for her to trust. Ironically, the man that was eating breakfast with her at her table had shared similar circumstances and these two broken people had an unknown bond neither one of them had shared with anyone else.

"OK then, if that is what makes you feel comfortable." She said. She wasn't expecting it when she felt his hand slip to her chin and pull her face up to look at him when she spoke.

"Davia, don't hide your face from me. I like seeing your eyes and your smile. I want you to feel comfortable with me, I ain't gonna do anything to let you down." He promised her as he moved in and gave her a sweet kiss.

"I'll try harder." She said trying to maintain the eye contact.

Davia got up and cleaned the kitchen after they finished their breakfast. Daryl attempted to help her but she waved him off "You made this amazing meal so let me clean up this kitchen." She insisted.

"So Davia, I was wondering if you want to go along with me today. I want to get my stuff at the house and I know Merle won't be home this morning, so you could run with me to the house and then I want to take you somewhere." He told her.

"Where is that?" She asked.

"Secret, just wear some comfortable clothes and shoes." He told her.

"OK, you have my curiosity up." She said giving him an actual relaxed smile.

Davia took a quick shower and got dressed, then she made up her bed, put up Daryl's linens, started a load of wash and was ready to go. She had on a pair of black Capri leggings and a long pink T-shirt that hit her mid thigh while wearing her hair pulled up in a high ponytail. Daryl thought she looked adorable, especially with the silver hoop hearings she was wearing, but he also noticed she was wearing make up and perfume as well.

"Darling, we're going to the woods not the mall, you didn't have to get all dolled up on my part." He told her.

She almost caught herself putting her head down in embarrassment again but Daryl's words from earlier rang in her ears "Sorry, it's just a routine for me, kind of like a security blanket I guess."

"Well you look real nice Davia, I just didn't want you to think I expect you to always look so put together. You've got a lot of natural attractiveness to ya that I like!" He said as he took her hand and led her out to his truck.

Davia thought her stomach was going to flip when he paid her the compliment. A handsome man like Daryl Dixon thought she was attractive? Davia gave a genuine smile and kept eye contact with him after his compliment.

"Thanks Daryl, hearing that from you means more than you can imagine to me. I ain't never heard it from anyone before." She admitted to him.

"Well you're gonna hear it from me a lot more" he said as he opened the truck door for her to get in and planted a chaste kiss on her cheek before shutting the door and making his way over to the driver side.

…

Daryl and Davia rode over to Daryl's house so he could pick up his belongings. Davia noticed how sparse and cold his home seemed. It looked more like a place with the sole function of sleeping and eating than it did like a home. It saddened Davia to see what a lonely existence Daryl seemed to have, even living with his brother.

She followed Daryl into his room and caught a glimpse in what she assumed was Merle's room. The filth that enveloped Daryl's older brother's living quarters made Davia's skin crawl. Without thinking she spoke "I can see why you want to get away from your brother, he lives like a slob."

"Yeah, that's one of the reasons. He's a mean and vile son of a bitch too." Daryl told her.

They entered Daryl's room and she noticed he didn't seem to have too many belongings. "Davia, I'm gonna take a quick shower. You can watch the TV in here while I'm getting dressed and then we can get this shit out of here and go about our business, is that OK with you?" He said unsure if she would feel uncomfortable being left unattended for a few minutes.

"Sure, in fact, I can pack up some of your things while you are getting dressed" she said.

"You ain't gotta do that…it won't take me long to get my things together." He told her.

"I want to help Daryl. Now go get your shower and get dressed so you can take me on the adventure you promised me." She said with a bit of authority that she wasn't used to displaying.

As Daryl was showering Davia found a few boxes in Daryl's closet and began to pack up his things. She separated his clothes and boxed his pants and jeans in one box, sorted by color, and repeated the task with his shirts. She then picked up a third box and began to place his personal possessions in it carefully, making sure she didn't break anything in the process. She heard a buzzing and turned to see Daryl's cell phone sitting on his nightstand. He must of left it behind the previous day. Not wanting to be nosy, but also not wanting him to miss an important call she peaked to see who was calling. The number came up as 'RESTRICTED' so she just left it be. About a minute later she heard the phone ding as whoever had called left a voice mail.

Daryl got out of the shower and towel dried himself. It took him about a second to realize he left his shirt in his room and that left him in a dilemma. He wasn't at a point where he wanted Davia to see him shirtless, afraid that what she saw might scare her away. His back possessed grotesque scars that he had acquired during his childhood and teen years at the hands of his abusive father. The permanent reminder that his father had left behind had always made Daryl extremely self-conscious and he didn't want Davia to deem him a monster, or worse, pity him.

He pulled on his jeans and boots and then draped his towel around his shoulders as he walked down the hall to his room. He was surprised at how much Davia had packed up while he was in the shower. She looked up at his exposed chest and he swore that she blushed three shades of red.

Davia wasn't expecting Daryl in his half -dressed state. He had a towel wrapped around his shoulders but she immediately noticed his firm stomach and chest. He had a large tattoo on the left side of his chest and she noticed he had a few others scattered about. The sight of him made her nether regions tingle in a way she had never experienced before. She felt herself filled with lust and desire, a feeling she thought she would never have.

"Forgot to gather a shirt" he told her.

She stuttered for a moment then handed him one that she had folded and put in the box "will this one work?" She asked timidly.

"Yeah, it's fine." He told her taking it from her. He had never seen her act so nervous and the mere act of handing the shirt over to him left her hands shaking.

"Davia, are you alright?" He asked concerned.

She looked down at the floor "I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting to see you so…uncovered."

Daryl quickly put on the shirt so she couldn't see his back and then reached out and took her hand "Davia have you ever been involved with anyone before?"

Tears welled up in her eyes and Daryl thought she looked like she had been punched. "No." She said quickly as she ran out of his room and then out the front door.

"Shit!" He said to his self. He had no intention of wanting to hurt her feelings or make her feel like any less of person. He just wanted to know if he was her first relationship. Hell, they had just met a few days earlier and maybe he was rushing into an assumption that what they had was indeed a relationship. Daryl felt like hell and he quickly decided to go after her and get things right with Davia. She already meant too much to him for him to let her slip away because he did something stupid.

It didn't take Daryl very long to find her running down the sidewalk back towards her house. His neighborhood was less than ideal for any female to be alone and he was worried about what she might run into even though it was still an early Sunday morning. Daryl wasn't fond of living in a high crime area, but supporting him and Merle didn't leave him a lot of options. It at least made it easy for Merle to acquire his illegal substances, as there were numerous dealers on the block.

"DAVIA" Daryl yelled when he finally caught sight of her.

"I'm Sorry Daryl, this is a mistake. I'm not like the other women you have been with…I don't know how to…" she couldn't even say it.

"Shhh…" he said as he pulled her to him. He cradled his arms around her and she began to sob. There was obviously more to the story than her not having any type of relationship experiences.

"Davia, I don't care whether or not you have any experience with men. I was an ass for even asking and if I could take it back I would. Obviously there is a story in your past that you don't feel like sharing, but I hope one day you will trust me enough to tell me. We will take things just as slow as you are comfortable with…I promise you. I don't want to hurt you and I want you to know what I feel for you is the real deal Davia. I ain't normally like this with anyone, but you make me want to be the man I never was." He said with as much heartfelt emotion as he had ever shared.

"Thank you Daryl. I will tell you about what happened, but not right now…I can't…it's too painful." She said.

"Then we won't talk about it. Now let's go get my things and go on up to the hills." He said taking her hand and guiding her back to his former home.

When they finished putting the last of his belongings that he was taking from the house into his truck Davia remembered his cell phone. "Daryl, I meant to tell you that your cell phone went off while you were in the shower and someone left a message."

Daryl nodded and then retrieved the phone from his room, he almost forgot about the thing since he rarely used it. He checked the phone and saw he had sixteen missed calls and his voice mailbox was almost full. He listened to his messages, and realized all of them were from Merle. He had apparently been picked up for a DUI the previous night and was down in the county lockup. Merle being Merle left Daryl several messages that went from begging and pleading to him to come bail him out all the way too insulting Daryl's manhood and informing him he was a "pussy" and that he needed to lose the "fat cow". Daryl shook his head. Merle could rot in jail for all he cared. For once in his life Daryl really was done with his brother. It left him a bit sad and a little lost, as Merle had controlled most of Daryl's decisions for his entire life, but Merle was a poison, and Daryl wanted that part of his life over.

After Daryl listened to his messages Davia noticed that Daryl seemed to be conflicted. "Daryl is everything OK?" She asked.

"Merle's locked up." He replied simply.

"Do you need to bail him out? We can skip today if you need too." She said, offering him an out if he needed it.

"Are you kidding, he can rot in there as far as I'm concerned. It's the best place for him. I'm done with his mother-fucking ass and he can fight his own battles. For God's sake he's forty-four years old, it's time to cut the chord." Daryl said in a heated tone.

"I'm sorry." She told him.

"No need to be, it's the best thing for everyone." He told her, giving her a reassuring smile.

…

After they were done at the house he drove the two of them up over the state lane to the Ocoee River area in Tennessee. He knew that today being Sunday meant the crowds that normally flocked to the area to take part in one of the country's best area for white water rafting would be greatly reduced.

Davia looked like a kid with her eyes as huge as saucers as she watched the brave rafter's shooting down the river on the class four and five rapids. "Damn Daryl, that looks dangerous but it looks like a huge adrenaline rush."

"Well I was going to take you on a hike up to a waterfall, but if you want to go rafting we can." He asked her.

"Um, not today…I would have to psyche myself up to do that. Is it dangerous?" She asked.

"I only did it once, and it can be if you don't listen to the instructor. But the guys that lead the expeditions down the river really know what they are doing. During the week this river is barely a trickle. They let the dams out on the weekends to create the rapids." He told her.

"So this is man made then?" She asked.

"Sure is sweetie. I'm serious about taking you up here again to give it a try. You just let me know when and we can give it a go." He promised her.

"I would like that a lot." She admitted to him. He was surprised that the normally shy Davia would be interested in such an adrenaline laden event, but there was obviously a lot to Davia that he didn't know, and a lot of Daryl that Davia didn't know as well. Daryl was actually looking forward to getting to know her and for her to know him better. Once again this was another first in his life. Hell, he was thirty-six years old and it was time he finally had an adult relationship. He wasn't getting any younger and if he wanted to ever truly settle down and have something solid then he wasn't going to let Davia go. She was the first woman to ever make him feel that way.

They drove up the mountain and Daryl parked at the trailhead. He pulled out his pack in the back of the truck and put a few bottles of water he had stopped and purchased into the pack. "You ready girl." He said.

She nodded apprehensively. "Daryl, I'm not in the best shape, so if I slow you down, then you just go on ahead. OK."

"Davia I ain't gonna leave you behind, I get winded too…I smoke too damn much and it catches up to me, especially at these higher elevations." He told her trying to ease her worries.

"Well I warned you Daryl, so if you are willing to put up with my slower pace, then let's get going," She said. Being out in the woods seemed to lighten her mood and Daryl could swear she was actually smiling.

They hiked for about an hour and every time they came to an opening that gave them a view of the river

Valley below Davia would stop and look in Awe.

"Daryl this is beautiful. I would want to live somewhere where I could have views like this all the time. It's just so…so…majestic. Thank you for bringing me here." She told him.

"Glad you like it Davia. I would love to live somewhere like this too. Too bad they don't allow houses built up here, but they want to protect the land and you can see why." He told her.

"Yeah, I know. It's just stunning." She replied.

They hiked for another thirty minutes and Daryl helped Davia through some of the more difficult places on the trail. Any apprehension she had at the beginning of the hike was now gone and Davia was pushing forward trying to see even more of what nature had to offer her. Daryl was pleased with his self for seeming to find something that she truly enjoyed. After they made their way through some particularly difficult areas on the trail they had finally arrived at the final destination. It was a stunning waterfall that poured out over several large boulders into a pool at the base.

"Not to sound redundant Daryl, but Wow!" She said as she stood at the edge of the pool watching the water pound ferociously down the rocks into the basin.

Daryl was caught up in her exuberation and before he knew what he was doing he pulled Davia into a passionate kiss. It was too perfect not to take advantage of the setting. At first Davia tensed up, like she had done before, but he felt her relax and the next thing he knew she was reciprocating the kiss and he felt her hands gliding up his back and into his shaggy brown hair.

They stayed at the waterfall for about an hour enjoying each other's company. Davia seemed to open up away from all the stresses that her normal life provided her. She told Daryl about her barely graduating high school because she had dyslexia and struggled with reading and writing. Her foster family was forced to hire a tutor just to get her through her senior year and they were not too pleased to have to fork out the cash.

She also had explained that she had been picked on by the 'popular' girls at school because she was forced to wear hand me down clothes and was extremely socially awkward. When you lived in foster care you took what you could get and in her case, it wasn't very much. She didn't attend her prom, but she did participate in Drama and Chorus, and was actually up for the lead role in the school play, until… and then she didn't elaborate on what happened to get her to withdraw. Daryl could see it was something major that happened in her life, but he didn't dare push the issue with her. He trusted she would tell him when she was ready.

After their trek back down to the truck they were both exhausted, but in an extremely good mood. Daryl had held Davia's hand for most of the trip back. He told her it was so she wouldn't fall, but in reality he just wanted the contact with her. He was also proud of how well she did on the hike. She was in much better shape than she gave herself credit.

They rode back to Blue Ridge with Davia singing along with the radio. Daryl enjoyed listening to her sing and it made the hour trip back to town fly by. It was now around two in the afternoon and Davia asked if he would mind stopping by the bar so she could pick up her schedule for the next week.

"Not at all darling." He told her when she asked.

They entered the bar and Dale was working and gave them each a hearty wave. "I'm actually glad you both stopped by." Dale told them.

"What's up Dale?" Davia asked the older man.

"Daryl, I heard your argument with Merle last night and I heard you say you were moving out. Have you found a place yet?"

"No sir, I really haven't started looking. For right now Davia is putting me up on her couch." He replied, and Dale noticed Davia blushed when Daryl told him about their plans.

"Well I think I might have a place that could work out for you. Irma's family has an old house that needs a lot of work, but it is an ideal setting. It's about fifteen minutes away from here and if you were interested I would love for you to take a look at it. I'm willing to sell it to you at a good price and owner finance it as well. It's just too much for Irma to take care of and she would really like to just give it to someone who would appreciate its isolation and natural habitat."

Daryl liked the part where Dale said 'isolation' and 'natural habitat'…he was more than interested.

"When can I go check it out?" Daryl asked.

"Right now if you have time. I have the keys in my office and I will let you and Davia go see it." He said as he hurried back to his office, returning quickly with the keys.

"It's down off of Apple Orchard Rd…go three and half miles and then take a right on an old dirt path. It has a private road sign up and there is a chain across the driveway. I have written down the combination for you to get in. Just lock everything back up when you are done."

Daryl nodded and practically dragged Davia to his truck, as he was so excited to see the place Dale was mentioning. He followed Dale's instructions and just as he said it took them about fifteen minutes to make it out to the homestead. Daryl unlocked the chain and they followed a bumpy old dirt road for about a half of a mile. Sure enough they found the old farmhouse just as Dale had described it. It was a large brick house with a wide front porch that had seen better days. There definitely needed to be a lot of work to get the house in an inhabitable condition, but when he and Davia walked around to the back of the house, there was no question this was the place for Daryl.

The house sat up on a hill that led down to a small lake that had a floating dock and a boathouse that had seen better days. Across the lake you could see the Blue Ridge Mountains off in a distance and because the view was due west, it meant that there would be amazing sunsets to watch. Daryl didn't speak a word and Davia looked at him "I hope you are going to take this Daryl, It's perfect for you." She said.

"It means I'm gonna have to stay with you for a while getting the place in a livable condition." He told her.

"That won't be an issue at all. I can help you with this as well. I'm actually pretty crafty and handy around the house."

"Well if you think it's a good idea…" He said, almost asking.

"Daryl, this is an answered prayer for you. You will be far enough away from town that your brother probably won't bother you, but close enough that you can still commute to work and run all your errands. And the view of the sunset here will be unreal. It would be as close to a 'view' like we saw today as you can have, and it would be yours everyday."

"Let's get back and talk to Dale. I need to get the details worked out, but you have helped me make my decision. This is going to be my new home." He said excitedly. What he didn't say was that he hoped that it would be Davia's home one day as well.

.

**Reviews? Comments? Let me know if you are liking it. I wasn't comfortable with the flow of this chapter...**

**Anyhow, Daryl's smitten with the shy girl and she seems to have bigger life issues than he does...**

**Hope to hear from you and also hope to get an update a little sooner.**

**Thanks y'all-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	4. Chapter 4

*****WARNING**** Graphic description of an Assault on a female...be warned.**

On the way back to the bar Daryl was talking a mile a minute with Davia, and she was matching his conversation word for word. The two were discussing everything that Daryl wanted to do to fix up the old house. He was talking ninety to nothing and Davia was nodding and listening to everything he said. She was happy for him and couldn't help but share in his excitement.

Daryl nearly ran right into the bar he was driving so fast to get back to talk to Dale. Dale looked startled as Daryl burst through the doors of the bar with Davia in tow.

"I want it, tell me what I got to do and I will do it." Daryl told Dale.

"OK OK…I'm happy Daryl. Do you have any money you can put down as a down payment?" Dale asked him.

"I've got about ten grand saved, but I was hoping to use that towards fixing the place up." He told Dale.

Dale nodded and ran his hands over his chin deep in thought. "I tell you what, since the old home place is so sentimental to my Irma I will float you a loan of Two Hundred Thousand dollars, which will be One Hundred and Fifty thousand for the actual house and fifty thousand for repairs. Then you can put down your ten grand as a down payment. Would that help your situation?"

Daryl thought for a moment and then looked at Davia to see if she had an opinion. She gave him the slightest of nods reassuring him that it was a good deal. "Dale, it's asking a lot for you to fork out that kind of money, are you sure this is what you want?"

"It is Daryl, but I would like one thing in return." Dale told him.

"What's that?" Daryl responded.

"You let Irma come out and visit when she can, as long as it is convenient for you. The place means so much to her and she doesn't have a lot of time left. Her cancer is progressing and she probably has a year at the most." Dale sadly told him.

"Ain't a problem, in fact, I will work my ass off to get the place in top condition so you can see it before…"

"Daryl, that is too kind of you. I think we have a deal then?" Dale said.

"Ya." Daryl told him as he shook the older man's hand.

The two discussed the details of the paperwork and Dale told Daryl that he would schedule an appointment with his attorney later in the week to make everything official. They shook hands again and when they were leaving Davia had to almost run to keep up with Daryl who was practically skipping to the truck.

…

When they got back to Davia's house Daryl and her made a list of all the things he would need for the house. He was going to need another trip out to the homestead to double check what was going to be needed to get the house in a livable condition. Davia told him she would help him any way she could and once they had compiled a list of the materials he would need she would shop around for the best prices for him. Since she was home in the daytime it would be easy for her to focus her time on helping Daryl out.

Davia threw together a quick dinner of spaghetti and a salad for her and Daryl to eat as he continued to go over his plans. She loved seeing how happy Daryl was about owning something that was his dream. It was amazing how his usual roughness and the smile that was on his face made her stomach flutter. God he was a handsome man and she still couldn't believe he was there with her in her apartment and that he actually seemed to care about her.

After they finished dinner she apologized to him, but told her she needed to practice some songs she was working on. He told her that it wasn't any problem at all and asked her if she minded if he listened to her while she sang. Of course she told him it wasn't an issue at all and she made her way to the piano and began to sing. It was a song he had heard before, but God when she began to sing the familiar lyrics, his heart melted. He had thought she sounded like Adele, but when she began to sing one of the artist's songs, it confirmed his thoughts…It was Adele's cover of "Make you feel my love"

_**When the rain is flowing in your face,**_

_**And the whole world is on your case,**_

_**I could offer you a warm embrace,**_

_**To make you feel my love.**_

_**When the evening shadows and the stars appear,**_

_**And there is no one there to dry your tears,**_

_**I could hold you for a million years,**_

_**To make you feel my love.**_

_**I know you haven't made your mind up yet,**_

_**But I would never do you wrong,**_

_**I've known it from the moment that we met,**_

_**No doubt in my mind that you belong.**_

_**I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue,**_

_**I'll go crawling down the avenue,**_

_**So there's nothing that I wouldn't do,**_

_**To make you feel my love**_

_**Instrumental**_

_**The storms are raging on the rolling sea,**_

_**And on the highway over there,**_

_**The winds of change are blowing wild and free,**_

_**You ain't seen nothing like me yet.**_

_**I could make you happy make your dreams come true,**_

_**Nothing that I wouldn't do,**_

_**Go to the ends of the earth for you,**_

_**To make you feel my love.**_

_**To make you feel my love**_

When she finished the song, Daryl was speechless. Davia wasn't sure how to read Daryl's reaction so she asked "Did you not like it? I can sing something else if you don't think that was any good."

Daryl shook his head "It was perfect Davia. Everything about you is perfect. When you sing, I feel it right here." He said as he put his hand over her heart. And it was true. From the very first moment he saw and heard her sing his heart had felt things that Daryl Dixon had never felt. He was falling for her hard and fast and to be honest, he didn't want it to stop. He liked how Davia made him feel and how she made him want to be so much more. If only he had a way to properly convey this to her.

"It isn't that good Daryl. I just like to sing and apparently I sing well enough to pay the bills. I'm not really smart enough to do much else, but I'm glad you like it. That means more to me than you know." She said getting up from the piano.

"I'm going to go take a shower, you are more than welcome to put your things up in my closet, and I have a couple of empty drawers for you to put some things in too. Make yourself comfortable while I change and then when I'm done you can help me put together a grocery list. I will walk to the store tomorrow and get what I can. I have a cart that I can load up and bring everything home."

"Why don't you just take me to work and use my truck." He said.

"Um…that's OK." She said nervously.

"No Davia, I insist. You shouldn't have to walk everywhere, it ain't safe." He said trying to convince her to put her needs first for once.

Davia was silent. "Daryl, when I told you I couldn't afford a car, it was kind of an excuse. I don't know how to drive." She finally confessed.

"Really? Well that's an easy fix, I'll teach you." He told her.

"I don't know Daryl, I already told you I was a horrible student." She told him.

"Nope, ain't gonna let you defeat yourself. We can do this…together." He said.

"OK, maybe next weekend we can try. I have the wedding on Saturday, but maybe Sunday…"

"Yep, count on it." He said as he gave her a kiss.

She got up and headed into the shower while Daryl began to put his things in her closet. He couldn't help but notice how perfectly organized everything was. All of her clothes were sorted by color and separated between tops, bottoms, and dresses. She had cleared space for him to put his few meager items and he quickly hung up his clothes and then placed his two pairs of shoes on the floor. He only owned three pairs in total, a pair of work boots, a regular pair of boots he wore every day, and one pair of dress shoes " just in case." He then placed his hunting equipment and the rest of the small amount of personal items in the closet as well. After he was done he then put his socks, boxers, and the remaining things that he owned into the two drawers Davia had cleared for him. He chuckled to himself "I reckon I'm officially shacking up now."

Davia had finished her shower about the time Daryl had finished putting away his possessions. She walked into her room wearing some soft shorts and a T-shirt and Daryl noticed she smelled like cotton candy. Without thinking he spoke "Woman you smell good enough to eat."

Davia blushed at the comment and then turned it around on him "Yeah, leave it to the fat girl to smell like food."

"Stop it. That's not what I meant Davia. I wish I could make you see yourself the way that I see you. Someone in your past has really fucked up the way you view yourself." He told her, somewhat annoyed that she seemed ensconced in self-loathing.

"I'm sorry Daryl. It's just I am not used to compliments. Normally when someone gave me one it was really an insult disguised as a compliment." She said, embarrassed at her earlier reaction. She was really having a hard time accepting that Daryl saw her as someone of worth.

"Wish I could find every one of them and kick their ass for what they did to you. Stupid pieces of shit deserve a good ass kicking." He told her angry that she had endured so much pain in her past.

"Trust me, they're still around. I hate to admit it, but Merle's insults were weak compared to some of the other's I had before." She told him sadly.

"I don't get it Davia, why would they say things like that to ya, and why did you let them?" He asked her point blank.

"Because when I tried to fight back it always ended up with me looking more like a fool than I already did. I just wasn't smart enough to come up with something that would persuade them to leave me alone. Guess I was an easy target. I'm not strong like you Daryl." She told him.

"I ain't all that Davia. Trust me, I got my share of put downs too. I would lash out and get in fights. Spent more time suspended from school for fighting than I want to admit. I ended up getting expelled my junior year of High School and just dropped out after that."

"You know Daryl, I don't know that much about you, and you don't know that much about me. I don't feel comfortable really talking about my past, but if we want 'this' between us to go anywhere maybe we should confide in each other." She told him, almost in an asking tone.

"OK, that sounds good. Do you mind if we go outside on the balcony so I can smoke when I tell you my story? Smoking helps me talk easier." He confided in her.

"Let's go." She said as she led the way to the balcony of the apartment. She had the balcony fixed up nicely with two chairs and some plants to brighten it up. He really admired her touch and even though she seemed to be pretty much a loner, she liked to make things nice and homey.

Daryl fired up a cigarette and took a deep breath and began to talk. "I've lived in Blue Ridge my entire life and I grew up in a sleazy trailer park just outside of town. My Daddy liked to drink…a lot, and he liked his women. Apparently my momma weren't much better than that. They fucked around on each other all the time. When I was about six, momma left and that's when the fun began. Daddy blamed me for the reason she left, even though he beat her about every day…can't say I blame her for leaving, but fuck, she left me and Merle behind. He would beat Merle, but Merle was about fourteen, and he could defend himself a lot better than I could. One night he came home from the bar, stinking of a dime store whore and he was mad because I had left the milk out on the counter. That was my first beating that I remembered. Hit me so bad I couldn't go to school the next day because he marked me up real good. Merle tried to fix me up as good as he could, but there wasn't any fixing what he did."

Daryl took a long drag on his cigarette and paused before he continued the rest of his story. Davia could see the pain flashing in his eyes and instinctively reached out and placed her hand on his free hand. He closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of her gentle touch. She knew he didn't want pity, she had received plenty of it herself in life and knew it was an insult to offer it. She just wanted him to know she was there him, and he gladly accepted the gesture.

"I took regular beatings because Merle wasn't around much to take up for me. He ended up in juvenile detention on several occasions and each time the beatings got worse. Sometimes they would be so bad he would knock me unconscious and I'd wake up the next morning covered in my own mess on the kitchen floor. Each time it happened he would justify it by saying he was making a man out of me. I began to believe it and I wouldn't even cry any more after I got to be about eight years old. Merle got out of juvie for the last time when I was thirteen and he was twenty-one. If he fucked up any more it was prison he would be sent off too. Daddy stopped coming home pretty soon after that and more or less abandoned me and Merle. Apparently he found Jesus and took up with another woman. Didn't want us around anymore as reminders of his past. Heard he got married to her and moved to Chattanooga and ironically, raised up her kids like they were his own. One big happy family, and Merle and I were left around like two mistakes that got swept under the rug." Daryl chuckled with the irony of his father becoming a decent father to someone else's kids.

"Why didn't he come back to get y'all? I mean Daryl, you were a minor." She told him.

"They temporarily put me in a foster home when Daddy signed away his parental rights. Just like they did after Momma left. They couldn't find our momma and then Merle stepped up and said he would take on the responsibility of guardian. He wasn't really that much better than Daddy, but he didn't beat me as much and as often, and I was big enough at that point to stand up for myself. His beatings were more like fights, the blows hurt, but they weren't full of the hate and evil my pa's were. Anyhow he got a job and took care of me up until I was sixteen. The day after I got expelled for fighting I came home from the grocery store to find a note from Merle and all his shit gone. He had gone and enlisted, and there I was…alone with nothing but a fucking note from my brother. I realized that all of my family had abandoned me and I decided at that point the only person who was gonna take care of me was me. So I dropped out of school and got a job as an electrician's apprentice. It wasn't much but it paid the trailer rent, put gas in the truck, and put food on the table. I couldn't drink, but weed was readily available so I spent a lot of time stoned, especially since most of my co-workers got high and it was what ya did when you were leaving the job site." He actually smiled remembering the crazy times him and some of his buddies at work had.

'You were a pothead?" She asked.

"I wouldn't go that far, but if it was around, I didn't turn it down. Merle had been sending me letters from all over the world and he was doing better than he ever had before. They had made him a sniper and he had made it up to a PFC and all. Even sent home some pictures of him with some nice looking girls in Germany." Daryl told her.

"Merle? Merle Dixon?" Davia said in disbelief.

"Yeah, but Merle being Merle he fucked it up. He got involved in a hot area in Afghanistan and they sustained heavy fire, Merle was the only one to survive out of his unit, but he saw some pretty disturbing shit and did some pretty disturbing things. He had a mental breakdown and they diagnosed him with PTSD and put him in a mental ward. He refused to stay and went AWOL. After that he was discharged and began receiving a pension. He decided he would stay out in California where he tried to settle down and be a decent citizen and he did alright for a while." Daryl told her.

"What changed everything for him, he seemed like he was doing fine?" Davia asked.

"Me," was his response.

"I'm confused." She replied.

"I was making it alright around here when I got hurt real bad at work. I cut into a live wire and was hit with a 277 amp shot of electricity that stopped my heart and sent me hurdling fifteen feet off a scaffold. I hit the concrete below like a sack of potatoes. I don't remember any of it, and my foreman Tyreese performed CPR on me and got my heart back beating, but I was still unresponsive."

Davia gasped at the thought of Daryl on death's door. "Oh God Daryl that's horrible."

"I was in bad shape. I was in a coma for a week, and when I awoke I couldn't speak, walk, and barely could remember my name. I was in the hospital and then moved to rehab where I stayed for three months learning how to function again. The bad thing was I lost everything but my truck during that time. They threw my belongings out on the lawn of that shitty old trailer and that was it. I had nothing and no one to help me. When I was released from rehab I had no where to go, and I still couldn't get the 'all clear' to return to work." He told her.

"But what about worker's compensation, it was a injury received on the job?" She asked.

"I failed the drug test, so they said they couldn't determine if I was high when the accident took place, so they said I was negligent. It was all on me at that point."

"So what did you do?"

"I lived in my truck, didn't even have enough money for gas. I was destitute, begging for food and even pan handling to try to get enough to start over. No one wanted to help. I reckon Tyreese took pity on me and he found Merle and contacted him. Merle threw his shit in his truck and came back to Blue Ridge to take care of me again. Found that shitty old house I lived in until today and he took a job as a construction worker until I could get on my feet. Once I recovered they let me return to work and when we both had an income coming in things got a bit more comfortable. But being back in Blue Ridge didn't help Merle, between his PTSD and going to his favorite old haunts he regressed, and turned into something worse than he had ever been before, a heroin addict. It's been about fifteen years and I have been taking care of him ever since, I reckon I felt obligated on account of the fact if I hadn't been a dumbass he wouldn't have had to leave his life behind. I fucked things up for him." Daryl said solemnly.

"You can't blame yourself for that Daryl, Merle is a grown man and fully capable of making his own decisions. I am impressed that he even came back to help you out. The Merle Dixon I know wouldn't do that now." Davia stated in a matter-of-fact manner.

"Well the worse thing about it was he had me convinced that he was the only person that could care for me, and that we Dixon's aren't good enough for anyone. I wanna think that isn't true Davia…do you think you could care for me? Do you think I'm good enough for you?" Daryl asked her the point blank question and he couldn't quite get a read on Davia's face. Had he just fucked up everything royally and now she was just looking for a way to let him down easy.

"Daryl, before you think you're not good enough for me, you have to hear my story as well. You might find that it's the other way around." She confessed.

"Doubt it darling. Ain't nothing you could tell me that would scare me away from you." Daryl said as he took her hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss.

"I think I mentioned to you before that my father abandoned my mom when he found out she was pregnant. Can't really say that I blame him. She also had a heroin addiction like Merle. Being pregnant didn't stop her and I was born addicted from all the drugs she did while she was pregnant. They say that is most likely why I have the learning disabilities I have. Anyhow, she dragged me around with her and we lived wherever we could. I don't remember much, but I do know we slept in drug dens and there was more than one time she left me alone for a few days with God knows who. One day she never came back and I was told my momma died. They just put me out on the street in Knoxville and a woman found me and took me to the police station. I was starved and filthy and was immediately sent to social services. Considering my past and the fact that I was four no one wanted to adopt me and they placed me in an orphanage. They figured out who I was after my mom's body was identified in Knoxville, and I at least had a birth certificate and a date of birth, but that was all that was left of my past."

"Jesus, that's tough to imagine someone could do that to a little girl." Daryl said shaking his head. He noticed that Davia had a few tears streaming down her cheek, obviously not used to talking about her past like this.

"I was a throw away. They found a foster home for me, the first of three. I was there until I was about eight, and then the family had a child of their own and gave me back to the orphanage. The second home they sent me too was in Athens and I was there until I was fourteen. The father got caught molesting one of the younger children so I got put back into the system again. At least the first two families I was with were somewhat caring and really did try to help me out with my disabilities. I was fortunate that nothing happened to me in the second home, but to be honest, I think the father was more interested in the younger girls than I was. I was an awkward teen anyhow and kept to myself. They did get me a portable keyboard so I could practice my music, and for that I will always be thankful." She told him.

"The father, he didn't attempt to…?" Daryl asked.

"No, He didn't, but I'm not surprised that he did I guess. He was a little creepy, but I didn't really know how to interact with males, so I mostly avoided him and he didn't push the issue. Anyhow, my third home was more like an internment camp. I had no privileges at all and they would only let me practice with my music from four to five in the afternoon. I was dragged to church every time the doors were open, which is where I met the Greene family. I envied Beth and Maggie because they were always so happy and Hershel and Annette were such loving parents. Beth was about ten years younger than me, and Maggie was four years younger than me, but she liked to hang out with the older kids, so I got to know her pretty well."

"I know old man Greene as a vet, he took care of a dog of mine once. Not real sure he liked me, but I know him and my pa ran around together back in the day. Reckon they both found Jesus." Daryl mused.

"Yeah, unfortunately I didn't get to spend much time with Maggie because my foster parents were so intent on me 'helping' around the house. I went to school, and when I got home they worked me like a dog. They were furious when my grades were slipping because I was falling behind in Math and English because I struggled with the reading comprehension. They had to hire a Tudor and spent a lot of time at the school with the guidance counselor discussing the fact that I didn't really have any career opportunities. It was a pretty lonely life and every chance I got I was told that I needed to learn how to keep house because it looked like I was only capable of getting a job in the service industry, most likely a housekeeper or cook. It really sucked and I was miserable. My senior year I got involved with Drama and for once it seemed like I found something I really enjoyed."

"You mentioned that you ended up backing out of the play you got the lead in, what happened?" He asked.

Davia shifted uncomfortably and Daryl could tell she was about to disclose something she had kept buried for a long time, sensing her discomfort he held her hand a little tighter "It's OK Davia, you can tell me anything…I ain't here to judge, just to listen." Did those words really just come out of Daryl Dixon's mouth? Something about Davia made him want to be supportive and caring, and Dixon's didn't normally do either.

"It was a week before opening night and they were having a cast party at one of the girls house. There was one girl Lori who everyone thought would get the lead role, but instead when I won the part she was less than happy. I knew she didn't like me, but I didn't' realize how much until the night of the party. She came over and offered me congratulations on getting the part and we actually started to talk. She introduced me to this one guy who was a football player and he seemed to take a liking to me…I was shocked. He was good looking and very charming. Anyhow, we began to talk and he took me upstairs. By the time we made it up the stairs I knew something was wrong, my head became fuzzy and things started not making sense. He had drugged me…and after that…" Davia began to sob, and Daryl pulled her to him trying to comfort her from the pain she was sharing with him.

"When I came too I was beaten and my thighs were covered in blood. I knew what he did to me, but I couldn't remember any of it. Come to find out they recorded the whole thing and shared it with a select few at school. Of course I was beyond humiliated, and terrified as well. If I told my foster parents then they wouldn't let me leave the house anymore, and if I said anything about it to anyone else I had been threatened that it wouldn't go well. Lori flat out told me to count my blessings because I had 'scored' with one of the most popular guys in school. I felt alone and stuck in a world I didn't belong. So I tried to end it all by downing a bottle of Xanax that my foster mother had. It obviously didn't work…I couldn't even do that right. I ended up in a mental health facility for six weeks and still never told a soul about what happened. Daryl, you are actually the first person I have told this story too." She was sobbing so hard that she couldn't breathe.

"Shhh sweetheart, I'm here with you. I promise you I will protect you and NEVER hurt you like that guy did. You are worth so much more to me than that." He told her trying to comfort her.

"Daryl, I want to believe you, but nothing ever goes right for me. I'm so scared I'm gonna wake up tomorrow and you are going to be gone and I don't think I could handle that." She said confessing her fears to him.

"Davia, I feel the same way. Can I ask you something, and I don't want you to take it the wrong way?"

She nodded " I want to sleep with you in my arms tonight, just so I know you're real. I promise I won't push it any further than just sleeping. I just need you right now." He told her in earnest.

"Yes, I would like that very much." She told him. Her stomach fluttered as she was happy he had suggested it instead of her begging him like she had wanted too the night before.

He kissed her and wrapped his arms around her as he let her lead them into the house. He took a quick shower and laid out his clothes for work in the morning. Davia set the alarm and they climbed into her bed, Daryl dressed in his boxers and a T-shirt, still not quite comfortable exposing his back to her.

"Do you mind if I put the news on? It's kind of a ritual of mine each night." She told him.

"No problem sweetheart." He said. She turned on the TV and then nestled herself into his strong arms, inhaling his scent. For the first time in her entire life Davia actually felt safe, and relieved that Daryl knew what had happened to her all those many years ago.

They were both close to falling asleep when a breaking news alert caught both their attentions.

"Tonight there were several inmates that escaped from the Fannin County Jail. Initially there was a riot that distracted the guards and several of the inmates over powered the staff. As of right now there are eight fugitives on the run and they should be considered armed and dangerous."

A picture flashed of the escaped inmates and both Daryl and Davia's mouth dropped as it revealed that "one Merle Dixon of Blue Ridge" was among the escapees.

Daryl felt sick and concerned all at the same time. Merle had really fucked up this time and now Daryl was feeling guilty because he didn't bail his brother out. "Fuck Merle." He said out loud.

"Daryl, I'm so sorry, hopefully he won't do anything stupid and will turn himself in." She told him.

"Doubt it…Merle's too stupid for that. I'm sorry Davia that you are involved with me and my fucked up brother." He told her as he exhaled in frustration.

"It's OK Daryl, I will be there for you no matter what your brother does or what you need to do for him." She told him.

"God Davia, I don't know what I ever did without you." He told her as she shut the TV off and he wrapped his arms around her and held her until they both fell asleep.

**Oh Merle...what have you done?**

**This was kind of a sweet and sappy chapter, and I am afraid most of you won't like it. I know Daryl seems a bit out of character, but I am trying to convey that the hard-ass Daryl is changing because he has found someone he cares about, and someone he thinks understands him, and now he wants to be strong for her...**

**Let me know what you think about this story. I'm very curious.**

**Thanks and Happy Sunday-Only Five more Sundays until the Season 5 premier...Woo Hoo.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	5. Chapter 5

Merle Dixon didn't like to lose, and when he lost, he didn't take it well. The way Merle perceived things at this moment he had lost his brother to that fat fucking whore that sang at the bar. Sure, he had to admit she was attractive in her own way, but she wasn't good enough for the Dixons. Daryl needed to be with a hot chick that could ride him onto the sunset. Yeah, Merle had decided he had to do something to intervene, but being locked up down at the county jail wasn't going to allow that to happen. When a riot broke out and several of the inmates overpowered the guards Merle took his chances and slid out of the jail with the other inmates. He didn't hurt anyone, and he wasn't armed, but when he made up his mind to go, he left.

That was about four hours earlier and now he found himself at the door of April's trailer after boosting a car. April didn't live in Blue Ridge and the two of them hadn't really been together long enough for people to connect them, so he decided she would be the best option for a place to hide out until he figured out what he was going to do. He slipped in the back door to her house, finding her emergency key and quickly entered unnoticed. He was sweating and in desperate need of a fix and he knew April could accommodate his needs, both chemically and physically and he hoped she was as eager to have a go as he was.

April didn't really seem all that surprised that Merle had shown up at her house. After gratifying his physical needs the two of them took care of their chemical needs and Merle seemed to relax greatly after the heroin flooded his blood stream. He hated that he was so dependent on the drug, but he hated what happened when he wasn't using even worse. The amount of time he had been without his fix was as long as he could remember in a long time. Had he of not found his way to April's the withdrawal symptoms would have started kicking in pretty strong and he would have been in an even more desperate situation than he already was.

"When I heard you broke out I wondered if you were going to make your way to me." April told the man.

"Oh yeah babe, I knew you could take care of me." He told her hoping she would think she meant something to him. Merle liked April, but Merle liked a lot of women. Right now April was a means to an end.

"So what's your plan?" She asked.

"Well I gotta lay low for a bit, but that doesn't mean I don't need your help. First thing I need is for you to find out as much about Davia Longstreet as you can. Also, Daryl's ex Cheryl, do you think we can trust her? If so I would like to talk to her about turning up the heat on Daryl. She's the type of woman he needs to be with." Merle told her.

"Cheryl can be trusted, and I know she really likes Daryl. She told me that they had fucking amazing sex and she is eager to hook back up with him." April told him.

"Good, that's a start. I'm gonna get that pig out of Daryl's life and get Daryl straight. Me and my baby brother need to be back together and as long as that girl is around he won't listen to me. Daryl needs to learn that family is the most important thing and that only I know what is best with him. I ain't real sure what is going through his head these days…either the big one or the little one." He quipped.

"I'll do anything for you Merle, I know you are only looking out for your brother's best interest, but you aren't gonna hurt that girl are you?" She asked.

"Not as long as I don't have too. Just do what I asked you and we can go from there. I'm sure Ms. Davia Longstreet has a few Demons in her past I can use in my favor." Merle told April.

…

Davia woke up with Daryl's strong arms wrapped around her and she had to admit that it felt amazing. She felt secure for one of the few times in her entire life and this was the first time she ever woke up with a man in her bed. She giggled to herself when she felt a slight poke in her back and realized that Daryl had a case of 'morning wood'. She wondered if it was a normal reaction or if she was the cause of his body's reaction. She really doubted she had any ability to turn on any man so she just went with normal body reaction. Knowing Daryl though, he would be embarrassed knowing his body was betraying him like that, so she slipped out of bed and went to prepare him a breakfast so he could awake with some privacy.

Davia fixed a strong pot of coffee and filled a thermos for Daryl to take with him. She made some scratch biscuits and filled them with sausage, eggs, and cheese and then she found a small cooler and packed Daryl a lunch. She fixed him a few sandwiches and threw in some snacks and couple of cans of soda and then just wrote him a simple note "Thank you" and signed her name.

…

Daryl woke up alone and was disappointed that Davia wasn't there beside him. He rolled over on his back and realized that the woody he was sporting may have scared Davia away. Fuck, he thought. The last thing he wanted Davia to feel was that he was trying to push her into something she wasn't ready for. With a groan he made his way out of bed and into the bathroom silently cursing his body for having a mind of its own.

After getting dressed into his work clothes Daryl made his way out to the kitchen to find Davia sitting at the table surfing the web. "Good Morning Daryl" she said brightly. At least she didn't seem terrified or angry with him.

"Morning Darling…wondered where you went this morning. Missed ya." He said, as he blushed a bit.

Davia's eyes lit up with his admission. "Really, well I uh…didn't know if you wanted some privacy or not when you got…ahem…UP this morning." She giggled.

Daryl dropped his face into his hands, both embarrassed that she brought up the issue of his morning hard-on and amused at her attempt at a joke. "Yeah, that happens. Sorry bout it." He told her.

"Nothing to be sorry for, I know things like that happen and they aren't sexual." She told him.

Daryl just nodded, not giving away the fact that he had dreamed about Davia's naked body all night long. He was afraid that if he admitted what she did to him then she would banish him back to the couch.

Changing the subject Daryl spoke "you mind if I put the news on and see if there is any word about Merle?"

"Oh, I almost forgot, please do. I made breakfast for you so you eat and I will put the TV on." She told him.

The news cast confirmed that Merle was still on the loose from his breakout the previous night. In fact, he was the only one who still hadn't been apprehended and the police had put out the statement that Merle should be considered "armed and dangerous" which gave Daryl a little bit of a chuckle.

"I don't know about armed and dangerous, should be more like high and horny." He said trying to put a little humor in the situation. To be honest, Daryl was worried about his older brother, but with Merle being Merle he had come to accept the stupid antics that Merle often got himself involved in.

"Do you think he is going to try to contact you?" Davia asked with concern in her voice. It wasn't lost on her that Merle was probably furious with Daryl for leaving him at the jail and not attempting to bail him out, and also the fact that Daryl had finally made the decision to part ways with his brother.

"Don't know really, wouldn't be surprised. He doesn't know where you live, but that doesn't mean he can't find out. Now that I think about it I am not so sure I want to leave you here on your own today, you don't know how crazy Merle can get when he is desperate and I don't want him to come after you trying to find me."

A look of nervousness appeared on Davia's face "You don't think he would really do that do you? It would mean he would risk being caught and I don't think he would want that." She asked Daryl.

"That's a good point Davia, but Merle can be impulsive at times, especially if he has been using. Hold on a sec." He said as he got up from the table and returned with a wooden box and handed it to her

"What's this?" She said.

"It's a gun. You need to protect yourself just in case. Now of course I don't want you shooting my brother, but I also don't want you to get hurt. When Merle is desperate he won't stop at anything, including violence. I'm sure he thinks I betrayed him and he most likely is going to blame you for that." Daryl told her frankly.

"Daryl, I don't have any idea how a gun works. I've never even held one." She confessed.

"Look, it's loaded and this right here is the safety. You turn the safety off and then point and shoot. I think we can add gun handling to the driving lessons as another one of the things that I am going to teach you. I want you to be safe at all times Davia." He said tenderly.

"Thank you Daryl, hopefully this won't be necessary. Now eat your damn breakfast so you aren't late for work." She said with a bit of sass that Daryl thought was sexy as hell.

"Yes ma'am" He told her.

Daryl wolfed down his breakfast, not remembering the last time he ate so well in the morning and was shocked that Davia had prepared him a lunch.

"Girl, you're spoiling me, a man could get used to this." He said giving her a rare Dixon smile.

"I want to take care of you Daryl." She said shyly.

"Davia, I want to take care of you too." He admitted.

They discussed the house before Daryl left and had decided that they would take a ride over after he got off of work and make a detailed list of everything he thought needed to be done. Daryl then gave her his cell phone number and told her to call him if anything came up that he needed to be concerned about, or if by chance Merle appeared. "Look, If he does show up, don't let him in and call 9-1-1. Right now jail is the best place for him, maybe he can get some fucking help." Daryl said solemnly.

"I know you love your brother Daryl. Let's just hope he comes to his senses and turns himself in." She told him trying to reassure him. Whether Daryl would admit it or not, Merle was weighing heavily on his mind.

"Don't mean I won't put a bullet in his ass if he comes after ya." Daryl told her.

Davia laughed at his response.

"One more thing Davia, I've been thinking about something and it's gonna probably sound crazy, but I want you to make me a list."

"What type of list? A list of things you need for the house?"

"No girl, I want you to make me a list of ten things you have never done and want to do. You have spent so much time alone I want to know things that would make you happy. I'm curious to see what you come up with." He told her.

"Sounds like a school project, and you know how well I did in school." She mused.

"I'm serious Davia. I want to get to know more about you and this was the best I could come up with. Don't forget, I won't no scholar either." He admitted.

"Fine, I will do it Mr. Dixon." She teased.

Daryl got up to leave and before he walked out he grabbed Davia and gave her a passionate goodbye kiss. She melted into his lips and met his tongue ferociously. She had never felt this way about another person and had the feelings reciprocated. Neither of them wanted the kiss to end and finally Davia broke away. Her face flushed as she did so. "You need to leave Daryl so you aren't late. I'll be fine here, but just know, I will be missing you." She told him.

Daryl let out a low growl "Woman, you don't know what you do to me." He said, giving her a final peck on the lips as he headed out to go to work.

…

Daryl didn't realize it, but when he arrived at work he was smiling, and it didn't go unnoticed by his supervisor Tyreese.

"Dixon, you got something on your face." He told the man.

Daryl immediately wiped his hand over his face trying to remove what ever the offending substance was and Tyreese broke out into a fit of laughter.

"I was referring to the smile you are sporting. A little bird told me you were seen in the company of one Ms. Davia Longstreet…that true?"

Daryl suddenly felt uncomfortable discussing his private life. One thing about Daryl Dixon was he didn't like to share his personal life with anyone. "Where did you hear that?" Daryl said, not answering the question.

"Blue Ridge is a small town, and with what happened with Merle you might have dropped into a conversation or two. Apparently your brother was at Dale's place Saturday night before his arrest spouting off about you and Davia. Gotta say Daryl, a lot of folks are surprised. You've always had the reputation for running with fast and loose women, and Davia doesn't exactly fit that profile."

"You don't know shit about what my 'profile' is." Daryl replied angrily. Why were people so quick to judge him?

"Look Dixon, I ain't saying there is anything wrong with you going out with her. She's a nice girl and I just don't want to see you hurt her. She's been hurt by enough people in this town. I've heard the rumors and I am just looking out for her is all. All I'm saying is be nice to her."

Daryl was a little taken aback by Tyreese's comments. He reckoned that there was a reason Tyreese thought he might have had ulterior motives, but Daryl didn't see Davia the way he had seen other women. Davia wasn't someone he was going to have a quick fuck and then part ways, but Daryl knew he had developed that reputation with most of the women he had been with.

"Not that it is any of your damn business, but things are different with Davia. I ain't gonna hurt her…all those other women, that was just a dumbass drunk redneck trying to get relief. I don't see Davia that way and I ain't gonna treat her as such." Daryl assured Tyreese.

After Daryl's initial conversation with Tyreese, nothing out of the ordinary went on that day. They were working on rewiring an old warehouse in town that an investor was looking to buy. Daryl had heard something about the investor wanting to start up a dinner club that would excite the tourists that always flocked to Blue Ridge. The majority of the money that was brought into the small town was a result of the tourism industry and the apple orchards that surrounded the town. Fall time was one of the busiest times of the years as people flocked to see the color change and take a ride on the train that left out of Blue Ridge on several short trips each day. Ironically, Daryl had never been on the train…or any train for that matter. He wondered if it was something that Davia would want to do. He made a note to ask her later and if she wanted too, he would certainly take her.

…

Dale was in the bar going over his deliveries when the two police officers showed up inquiring about Merle Dixon. "Dale got some questions for you" Officer Rick Grimes began.

"Sure no problem. Is something wrong?" Dale asked.

"We're trying to find Merle Dixon before he ends up hurting someone and we know this is the last place he was before his arrest on Saturday night." Rick told the man.

"Well I have no idea where Merle is, but I can tell you what happened here on Saturday night." Dale told them.

Officer Shane Walsh then spoke "Go on…we're listening." Dale immediately didn't like the tone that Officer Walsh took with him.

"Merle's younger brother…"

"Daryl?" Shane interrupted.

"Yes, Daryl. Anyhow he has started a friendship with one of our regular performers, Davia Lonsgstreet."

Shane then turned to Rick "Isn't she the girl we went to high school with? She was a quiet girl, why would she be taking up with one of the Dixon boys?"

Rick responded "Shane, let Dale tell the story and then we will ask questions, Go on Dale."

"Anyhow, Merle doesn't care for Davia, and he seemed to be infuriated that Daryl and Davia were getting along so well. The two broke out into an altercation and Daryl ended up leaving with Davia. After he left Merle was spouting out a bunch of nonsense about Davia not being good enough for a Dixon and that he would 'see to it that Daryl realizes where his loyalty lies' and things of that nature. Daryl moved his things out of the house and I believe he is staying at Davia's house until he gets settled into his new place." Dale told him.

"Where is this new place? Do you think Merle will make contact with Daryl or go after Davia?" Shane asked.

"Daryl is buying Irma's old home place from us just outside of town." Dale told the officers.

Shane replied "Well that is one less Dixon in the Blue Ridge City limits to deal with. We take care of Merle and I think we can call it a day."

"Shane, Enough! That is totally uncalled for. We aren't here to make judgements on the Dixons we are here to find an escaped fugitive." Rick blasted.

"Sorry…you're right. Dale do you know where we could find Davia? Do you have her address?" Shane said, reverting back to a professional manner.

"Sure, let me get it for you." Dale told them as he went and got Davia's address for the officers.

After Rick and Shane slid out of the bar Shane apologized to Rick. "Sorry man, those fucking Dixon's always rubbed me wrong."

"I know, but Merle has always been the troubled one. Daryl usually ends up in fights because of Merle dragging him into the situations. Best I know Daryl keeps himself clean and works hard at his job and the biggest thing he is guilty of is being born into the wrong family. Will Dixon hasn't been around here for near about twenty years and truth be told, he was the biggest pain in the ass of all of them. Merle is going to do his time for this and we should just let Daryl be."

"Well I still ain't sure I get the connection between Davia and Daryl Dixon. You remember her from high school, quiet, shy…but talented. Didn't Lori run around with her some in high school when she was dating that Pete guy?" Shane inquired.

"Pete Dolgen. Lori mentioned that the two were in drama together until Pete's brother Mitch and Davia hooked up under questionable circumstances. Not sure of all the details, but whatever happened caused Davia to drop out of the play and then she attempted suicide. No one really seemed too concerned at the time because well…it was Davia. She didn't really have too many friends, which was actually a shame since she was a nice girl. Lori said that Davia had fallen hard for Mitch and didn't take his rejection too well. Not sure if that was the whole story, but hell Shane, that was thirteen years ago."

"You think Dixon is trying to take advantage of her? She would be easy prey." Shane asked.

"Hope not. Tell you what, we will stop by this evening at the end of our shift and see what we can find out." Rick told him.

…

Daryl was driving home from work eager to get to see Davia. She had prepared him a lunch and left him a simple note saying "Thank You". He wondered what in the world she could be thanking him for. It should be the other way around. She made him feel alive like he hadn't felt since before his mother had left. She gave him hope and a sense that there was something greater in this life than just existing on a day to day basis.

He pulled into the parking lot at her apartment and ran up the stairs to greet her, carrying something he had picked up on the way home. He knocked and then entered the apartment, not quite sure how he should enter.

"Davia you around?" He asked out loud.

"Hey Daryl…" she said exiting the bedroom. Her eyes lit up as he handed her a single red rose. It was a corny gesture, but Daryl wasn't a romantic by any means, and it was the best gesture he could come up with considering his lack of dating skills.

"For me? Thank you so much" She said as she ran and jumped into his arms wrapping him into a hug. She hadn't really thought about her reaction, she just went with what went naturally.

During the day while Daryl was at work Davia had frantically worked on cleaning up the house (which was already immaculately kept) and organizing Daryl's things for him. She had sorted all of his clothes and even repaired some of the rips and tears in his jeans. She made a mental note that he would need some new clothes, something he probably never gave a thought too, and decided she would pick him out a few things that would suit his style.

She also made the list he had requested, but she wasn't sure when the best time to give it to him was. After much thought, she told herself she would present it to him tonight when they went to bed.

"I thought about ya all day and wanted to give you a little something to say Thank You back for all you have already done for me Davia. I ain't good at words, but you make me feel like I ain't never felt about anyone. I'm not sure what this is, but I like it." He told her.

She gave him a big smile and he knew in his heart at that moment that Davia Longstreet was the answer to many unspoken prayers. His entire life had been filled with heartache and disappointment, and here was this one shining ray of sunlight that had set him on fire, and he liked it.

"No one has ever given me flowers before Daryl. Do you mind if I put it in the room where I can see it when I wake up in the morning?" She asked.

"Wherever you want Davia. I'm gonna grab a quick shower and get ready to head on over to the house. We can stop for dinner on the way back." He told her.

"Ok, I am grabbing a notebook to write down all the things you need." She told him.

Within twenty minutes they were on their way to the house. They had a nice comfortable feeling between the two of them and both were content with taking in the scenery around them.

"Any word on Merle?" Davia asked.

"Nothing. I'm surprised he hasn't tried to call me, but he is lying low somewhere. Most likely at one of his dealer's houses. Merle can't go long without getting a fix." Daryl told her.

"You know, it's a shame that he can't get his life straight. Based on what you told me the other day it sounded like Merle was a good guy when he wasn't messed up on drugs." Davia said.

"Well he wasn't a saint, but he at least made rational decisions. He had his good points but he always made me feel like I owed him something though, and I guess I did for what he did for me when I really needed him, but God, how many times do you have to repay a debt?" Daryl said.

"I think you repaid that debt several times over Daryl. You can't keep beating yourself up over something that happened so long ago. Merle was an adult and made his own decisions. You both lived the same life, and look what you have done with yours. You are on the verge to buying your dream house and considering what you told me about your family, I think that is quite an accomplishment." She told him.

"Davia thank you for seeing the good in me…a lot of people don't give me a chance because I'm a Dixon. I appreciate it." He said, truly feeling she was the perfect woman.

"Daryl I only see the good in you because you put it there. You are a good man…you keep proving that to me over and over." She told him.

"Can I ask you a question and I want you to be honest?" He said to her.

"Anything." She replied.

"Do you think I am abandoning my brother? It's eating me up inside knowing that I'm not there for him, and he probably is going to need me now more than ever." He admitted.

Davia didn't answer right away. She put a lot of thought into her answer. "No, you aren't abandoning him Daryl, you are helping him. Doing what you have done for him for so long has enabled him. Why would he try to straighten himself out if he knew you would always be there to pick up the pieces? You can't live his life for him and you can't blame yourself because he has turned into such a mess. All you can do Daryl is be there for him when he hits rock bottom and realizes what he has become. Then you are there for support, but not to take care of him. He has to learn to do that for himself." She said thoughtfully.

Daryl was silent as he thought about everything that Davia had just told him. Suddenly all the guilt he had been feeling regarding Merle suddenly slipped away. A rare emotion that Daryl rarely felt reared itself quickly and before he knew it tears were sliding down his cheeks. Thirty-six years of torment and self-blame had just left him as he let the prophetic words that Davia spoke sink in.

"Daryl, are you OK? I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry, but you asked me to be honest." Panic had overtaken Davia and she realized now why she always kept her mouth shut.

Daryl pulled the truck over to the side of the road and rested his head on the steering wheel as he tried to compose his self. He finally gained his composure and looked over at Davia and saw she had panic written all over her face.

"Davia…It's, I just…You just gave me something I haven't felt in my entire adult life." He told her directly.

"What is that Daryl? I'm confused." She said.

"You gave me a fucking sense of relief that all of this shit in life isn't my fault. None of it is…" He said as the tears began to flow again. Davia unbuckled her seatbelt and moved towards Daryl taking him into her arms to comfort him.

"Its OK Daryl, let it all go sweetie. I'm here for you." She said sweetly. And she was. At this point in her life there wasn't anything that she wouldn't do for Daryl Dixon. The ice that covered her heart for so many years was quickly melting and she knew she had already fallen hard for the country boy. Was it possible to love someone you had only known for such a short period of time? She wasn't really sure what love was, but she knew that whatever she was feeling for Daryl was like nothing she had ever experienced. He made her feel like she was worth something and there was someone in this world that was willing to stand up for her, and that someone was this man she was comforting in her arms.

…

Daryl had gained his composure and the two of them rode out to the house. They had let themselves in with a key Dale had given them and were going room by room making a list of things that Daryl would need. There were a few things he would need to contract out to get taken care of, but being in the construction industry meant he knew a few folks that could help him out for a good price. Daryl was listing out each item and Davia was jotting it down as quickly as it came out of Daryl's mouth. She told him she would spend the next few days price shopping for the materials he needed to see if she could find some good prices. They had also decided that one night this week they would make a trip into Dalton to a surplus warehouse to see if they could get some good deals.

Daryl felt like a kid at Christmas going through the old house. The most striking feature of the house besides the incredible view of the lake and Blue Ridge Mountains was the giant stone fireplace in the large front room. Daryl could picture Christmases and a roaring fire in the Great stone hearth. And as a double bonus, there was also a second stone fireplace in the room directly above, and that would be his master bedroom.

…

They left the house, stopped and ate dinner at a local diner, and then headed back to Davia's apartment to retire for the evening. Daryl liked that Davia was becoming more comfortable around him and he was surprised when they got home and she quickly changed into her sleeping clothes and curled up on the couch in front of the TV, patting the seat beside her for him to join. He kicked off his boots and settled in comfortably, pulling her into him as they snuggled on the couch, both of them content for the first time in a long time.

Around nine there was a knock on the door and Davia went to answer it, but Daryl told her to let him do it "just in case". He didn't want to admit it, but until Merle was caught, he was a bit nervous about leaving Davia. He just didn't trust his brother's motives at this desperate point in his life.

Daryl was surprised to see Officer Grimes and Officer Walsh standing at the front door. Davia quickly made her way to the doorway and invited the officers into the house.

First thing out of Daryl's mouth "Merle…is he?" Davia noticed he paled quickly at the question.

"We still don't know where he is. We were hoping you could help us find him." Rick answered.

The four of them sat down at Davia's table and discussed the situation with Merle. Rick had divulged their conversation with Dale earlier and expressed concern for Davia's well being. It reiterated Daryl's fears as well that Merle might blame Davia for all that had happened between the two brothers. Daryl gave Rick all the information he could about potential places Merle might be. Before meeting Davia he probably wouldn't have disclosed anything to the officers, especially since Shane Walsh was a giant ass that harassed Daryl every chance he could, but now this situation was bigger than just him and Merle, it included Davia and she meant the world to him.

After the men asked their questions Rick then changed the subject to a friendly conversation. "Davia, it has been a long time since I have seen you, High School might have been the last time. How have you been doing?"

"Getting by. I hope you have been well." She said.

"I have been thank you. I married Lori Thompson, now Lori Grimes and we have a ten year old son and a daughter on the way." Rick told her. Daryl noticed at the mention of the name 'Lori Thompson' that Davia's face lost all of its color.

"I'm happy for you Rick. Shane how have you been doing? Have you settled down yet?" She asked politely. It didn't go unnoticed by Daryl that Davia's voice was shaking a bit…He wondered if Lori Thompson was the girl who had orchestrated the horrific act that had taken place back all those years ago against Davia.

"Sure haven't yet Darling…still looking for the future Mrs. Walsh, but I have to admit Davia, you have turned into quite a lovely young woman. If you decide you don't want to spend time with Dixon here, please give me a call. I'd love to take you out and show you a good time." Shane said in his most charming of voices. Davia blushed and Daryl turned red too, but his redness was from anger, not embarrassment.

"Don't think that will happen anytime soon Walsh." Daryl said in a seething manner. Rick sensed the tension in the conversation and quickly stood up to leave.

"Thank you both for the information. It's late and we will be getting out of your hair now. Have a good evening."

Daryl let them out of the apartment and went over to Davia. "You OK? Was the 'Lori' he mentioned the same one you told me about last night?"

Davia simply shook her head in the affirmative.

"Don't you worry about it one bit Davia. No one is gonna hurt you like that ever again. I will see to that." He assured her, wiping away a single tear that slipped down her cheek.

They made their way into the room and prepared for bed when Davia spoke quietly. " I have my list."

"Well let me see it so I can see what you came up with." Daryl replied.

She handed him the list she had titled "Davia's top Ten"

1 Go to the beach and watch a sunset.

2 Drink until I am drunk

3 Have a pet

4 Sing at the Grand Ole Opry

5 Zip Line

6 Take a cooking class

7 Volunteer at the homeless shelter

8 Travel

9 Learn to knit

10 Fall in love with someone and have that person love me back.

The last item on the list took Daryl by surprise. He looked at Davia and simply replied "Davia, I think number ten on the list might be getting scratched off sooner than you think."

**I hope you liked this chapter...it was a bit emotional for me to write. I originally was going to have Shane be Davia's attacker, but that would be too obvious. I have quite a bit planned with Ole Merle and I haven't quite decided if I am going to redeem him or keep him a monster...hmmmm**

**Please leave me some more AWESOME reviews...they encourage me...and I know I say it every time I update, but I hope to get these updates in sooner than I have been. By The Way...Four Sundays until Season 5...I am STOKED.**

**Hope you have a wonderful night/day and welcome any comments and concerns...**

**Take care all of you-**

**Missy**


	6. Chapter 6

**I am curious to know what you think of this chapter...it's a bit dark at the end.**

The rest of the week went by and Daryl still hadn't heard a peep from Merle. He was Fannin County's most wanted criminal at the moment and Daryl was surprised that Merle hadn't fucked up yet and got caught, or even worse. Daryl wondered if Merle was still even in the area. Not knowing where his brother was at the time was really weighing heavily on him.

Daryl had closed on the house with Dale the day before and he and Davia had been working in their spare time finding all of the materials Daryl would need to make the necessary repairs. He figured if he worked diligently in his spare time he could have the house at least in an inhabitable condition within the month. However, there was a part of him that wished it would take longer so he could continue to stay with Davia. It was going to be difficult being separated from her when he finally moved out of her place, and until she learned how to drive it wasn't going to be plausible for her to drop in and visit as much as he would like.

…

Davia had met with Maggie during the week and they had gone over the plans for the music for the wedding. Davia would sing a few songs at the church during the ceremony and then at the reception at Dale's she would be the sole performer. She had been online shopping and found an outfit to wear to the wedding that she thought would look good on her. While Daryl had been at work and she wasn't shopping around for pricing for him, she had been spending the rest of her time on the Internet searching for items that would allow her to make some 'lifestyle' changes. Being with Daryl and being happy made her want to improve herself and give Daryl someone she thought he would be proud to be seen with. Handsome men like Daryl weren't normally seen with women like Davia and she had to give Merle credit for stating such. She wanted to prove Merle wrong, so she had decided to take a different approach on her eating habits.

One thing had been weighing heavily on Davia and she didn't know how to handle it, and she didn't really have anyone to discuss it with, and that was sex. She knew that if her relationship with Daryl were to continue as it was, sex was going to play into it sooner rather than later. She was definitely physically attracted to Daryl, but she had no clue what to do sexually with him, or any man. The incident that occurred when she was in high school hardly counted as a sexual encounter, and she had been unconscious during the incident anyway. All she remembered was she hurt horribly for the next few days and she wasn't sure if it was a result of the act itself, or if Mitch had been extremely rough with her.

Davia had perused through all of the online articles she could find regarding "how to seduce your man" and "how to make love" and her favorite was "Ten things to drive him wild in the bedroom". With Davia's learning disability she had to read the articles extra slow and a couple of times each, but she got the gist of what they were saying. She wasn't sure if it was the best advice, but it was more than she had before. There were times like these where she actually wished she had a girlfriend, a sister, a mother…anyone to confide in and discuss her situation with, but for now, the Internet would have to do.

…

It was Thursday evening and Davia and Daryl were out at his new house working. Davia had successfully price shopped for a lot of the material that Daryl would need and their trip to the Surplus Warehouse had been a gold mine as Daryl found a good portion of the materials at rock bottom prices. That meant he would be able to stretch the additional funds for the home repairs a lot farther than he had thought. Tonight Daryl was sanding down the hardwood floors in preparation of refinishing them while Davia was on her hands and knees in the kitchen scrubbing the floors and cabinets with bleach getting them to a point where she deemed them acceptably clean. It didn't go unnoticed by Daryl that she seemed just a bit too obsessed with cleanliness and organization and that she would damn near kill herself to prevent anything from getting out of order at her apartment. He believed the obsession came from her last foster family drilling into her head that she would never be worth anything unless she learned how to cook and clean. The thoughts of them belittling her like that pissed him off. Davia was so much more than those things and he was pleasantly surprised each time she revealed just a little bit more of herself to him.

Daryl went into the kitchen to check on Davia and noticed how intently she was concentrating on a particularly stubborn spot on the floor. He was amused for a moment until he noticed she had scrubbed so hard her knuckles were becoming raw. "Davia, let it go darling. Bleach and soap ain't gonna get that spot out, I can pick up some industrial stain remover from work tomorrow and that will take the stain right out, besides, it adds a little character to the place." He told her.

"I can get it out Daryl, no need to wait until tomorrow." She said stubbornly

"Davia look at me." He told her. She looked up at him as he requested and he began to speak, "It's alright if it ain't perfect, your hurting your hands going at it like you are. Just take a deep breath and let it go. OK?"

She nodded and stood up from the spot on the floor where she was working, looking down and not meeting his eyes. It registered to Daryl that she must of thought she had failed him.

"The kitchen looks amazing Davia…I was wondering what color you would paint it?" He asked trying to reassure her that he thought she did a great job and also trying to let her know that what she thought was important to him.

She thought for a moment before she answered. "If it was me, I would paint the kitchen Wedgwood blue with white trim. With all the light that filters in through the large windows it would look open and amazing. I would then put white eyelet curtains on the windows that would allow the light to come through, but offer privacy from anyone who is boating on the lake." She told him.

"OK, make a list of what we need to do that and you are in charge of getting this kitchen in the condition you would like it. What about the floor?" He asked her.

"White ceramic tile with a braided rug under where the table would go." She answered without hesitation.

"Add that to the list too. You did such a good job at pricing out all of the material there is going to be more than enough money left over to fix this place up right." He told her.

"Really, you trust me enough to let me decorate this kitchen." She asked him.

"Sure do darling. I hope you will be spending a lot of time over here…which reminds me, driving lessons on Sunday."

"I love it here Daryl. It makes you forget all the crap going on in the world and it's like your own little private paradise." She told him.

"Glad you like it, I can't believe it's mine. It's a God Damn shame that Merle will probably never get a chance to see it, I think he would like it too, but he's so fucked up right now that even if he got out of all of his legal troubles I wouldn't want him here. I wouldn't trust him to respect my property. You saw how well he treated his shit at the house we were staying at. He don't have pride in anything, and this is mine, not his, so he would most likely be jealous and just trash the place." Daryl confided in her.

"Maybe one day Daryl. Stranger things have happened." She assured him. She wasn't quite sure why she was standing up for Merle, especially after all of the shitty things he had been saying about her, but she knew Merle was important to Daryl and she didn't want to trash him, just in case Merle finally did get his life straight.

"Yeah we will see, but I ain't holding my breath." He told her.

As darkness began to fall they decided to head back to the apartment. In the truck on the way back Davia worked up enough courage to ask Daryl a question she had been thinking about all day "Daryl, would you be my date at Maggie and Glenn's wedding?"

Daryl knew Davia was going to be busy with the wedding for most of Saturday, and then she would be working her regular shift at Dale's on Saturday night. His original plans were to be out at the house working until she went on stage around nine, and then he would join her then. He had never actually been to a wedding and felt he would be out of place at such a 'happy occasion', but when he saw the look on Davia's face his plans suddenly changed. "I ain't really got anything to wear, but if it is important to you, then I will be glad to escort you as long as you won't be embarrassed to be seen with me." He told her.

"Embarrassed? Really Daryl? I'd be the happiest girl there. Don't worry about what to wear, I can stop by the Men's shop and grab you something to wear…and I promise it won't be a suit. Will that work?"

Daryl could see how much she lit up at the idea of him escorting her "Yeah that will work. I will give you some cash to pick me up something, but nothing too fancy OK." He replied.

"Nope, nothing fancy…just not jeans." She reassured him.

When they got back to the apartment Davia served them dinner she had made in the crock-pot knowing they wouldn't be home until later. It was a simple dinner of chicken and dumplings, but by the way Daryl wolfed down the meal you would have thought it was filet mignon. "Damn woman you can cook. This shit is good" He told her as he washed down his last bite with a cold beer that Davia had provided him.

"Glad you like it…ain't nothing fancy." She told him.

They both took showers and headed to bed shortly after and Davia turned on the TV to watch the news, as had become their nightly ritual. Davia snuggled into Daryl, which was now becoming a habit that she wasn't as apprehensive about as she had been in the past and Daryl took in the scent of his girl. She smelled like cotton candy and the sweet scent drove him wild and challenged him to keep his manhood under control. He wouldn't lie, keeping the physical relationship at a minimum was proving challenging, but he wanted to respect Davia and not pressure her into something she wasn't ready for. If she felt pressured, then their first experience together would prove to be traumatic and not romantic, and he didn't want her to associate sex with yet another painful experience in her life.

Both of them perked up when Merle's name was mentioned again in the news "_**Five days after his escape from the Fannin County Jail and police have stepped up the manhunt for Merle Dixon. There have been numerous break-in's reported in the area of Blue Ridge, where Dixon was last known to reside and police are now focusing on that area in hopes of apprehending the escaped inmate. Once again, they want to reiterate that the man should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. One homeowner who caught the alleged escapee in the act was brutally beaten and taken to Fannin Memorial Hospital for treatment of his injuries. If you see Dixon, please call 9-1-1 immediately and do not attempt to pursue the man."**_

"Shit…this is all my fault" Daryl said out loud. "If I would have just gone and paid his bail none of this would be happening."

"Stop it Daryl. It isn't your fault. What did I tell you? Merle is grown and responsible for his own decisions. Please don't blame yourself. Who's to say he wouldn't have pulled you down with him?" She reminded him.

"Yeah, reckon you are right…but it doesn't make this any easier. Poor guy is now in the hospital because of my asshole brother." Daryl said.

Davia pulled Daryl to her and kissed him. Daryl responded fervently and before either of them knew what was happening Daryl had Davia underneath him and both of them were lost in the kiss. Hands were roaming and Daryl gasped as Davia slid her hands underneath his shirt and began to let her fingertips glide against his stomach and chest. It was farther than she had ever explored before and he could feel her heart beating through her chest as it was flush against him. She wasn't wearing a bra and he could feel her hardened nipples pressed firmly against him and he couldn't help but let go of a feral groan as his aroused manhood was straining against his boxers. He gently slid his hands under her shirt and let the palms of his hands graze her breasts. The feeling was overwhelming to both of them…Davia felt like lightening had struck her body at his touch and Daryl felt desire encompass him. Davia let out a quiet moan and at first Daryl thought he had freaked her out, until she took control of both of his wrists and held his hands in place. It was a small step, but there was no doubt that she wanted this. Before he pushed her further he gently removed his hands from her and tried to get control of his breathing. He was going to speak, but Davia beat him to it.

"Daryl, I feel things for you that I've never felt for anyone. I want to BE with you, and if I still had my virginity, I would offer it to you."

"As far as I'm concerned you still are a virgin. What happened to you all those years ago doesn't count as losing your virginity, hell you don't even remember it…" she took her finger and put it across his lips so she could continue to speak.

"I don't know anything about sex at all, nothing about pleasing a man, but I made a decision today and that is that I want to give myself to you…completely. I want to do what I can to make you happy. I made an appointment to go to the doctor next week to go on the pill, but I am pleading with you to be patient with me. I know I'm not like the other girls you have been with, but I want to learn." She told him.

"Shhh Davia. You're right, you ain't like the other girls. They were just someone I was looking to get a physical release from. You are the first girl…I mean woman that I ever had true feelings for. When and if we get intimate it will be a first for me too. I want it to be right and I don't want you to do this just because you think it's what I want. You need to be sure it's what you want too." He told her.

"It is what I want, I'm just scared, but I think that's normal." She admitted.

"Come here baby." He told her as he pulled her to him and they intertwined themselves together and fell asleep.

Neither of them was aware of the set of eyes watching them from the balcony through an opening in the curtains in her room. Angry Merle Dixon was trying to get a gauge on what his brother was up too and he didn't like what he saw one bit. This girl had taken the one thing from Merle that mattered the most and he had to act fast before Daryl forgot about him completely.

…

After Daryl got off work on Friday he made a quick trip out to the house and dropped off some supplies that he had picked up on the way home. Since he had agreed to go to the wedding with Davia that meant that he would need to get up early in the morning and head over to the house to work until about lunch time then he would head home and get ready for the wedding. He was more than just a little nervous about attending the event. He only knew the Greene Family because they lived in the same town. He knew Hershel and his old man had run around together years earlier, but Hershel had made something of his life and had never mistreated his children the way Will Dixon had.

When he arrived at Davia's apartment she looked excited as she told him about finding the perfect outfit for him to wear to the wedding the next day. She quickly ushered him into the bathroom with the clothes she had hung up on the back of the door and told him to try them on to make sure they fit. She had found him a pair of khaki slacks that weren't quite dress pants, but looked nice, and a white collared button up shirt that fit his shoulder's perfectly. Douglas's men shop had been in business for at least three generations and when she went in to find her old friend T-dog working she described Daryl's physique and style to him and he was able to find what she deemed the perfect outfit for him.

When Daryl emerged from the bathroom in the clothes she had purchased for him he couldn't help but smile. He didn't feel like a slob for once in his life and yet he was comfortable in the style she had picked for him. It was casual but dressy enough for the wedding. "You done good girl. I like it. I can even wear my boots with it." He told her.

"Yes you can. By the way, I took the liberty of cleaning them for you today. I hope you don't mind?" She told him as she handed them to him. To Daryl, they looked brand new again.

"They look good, but you didn't have to do that, I could have taken care of it." He said.

"I wanted to Daryl. I also took the liberty of picking up some toiletry items for you too. They are all in the basket on the Bathroom vanity." She told him.

He peaked inside the basket and felt like a kid a Christmas. Inside the basket were body wash, cologne, razors, deodorant, hair gel, combs, soaps, shaving cream, after-shave, a new toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and so many other little things he couldn't help but laugh. "Are you saying I smell bad Davia?"

"What? Oh no, I just noticed you didn't have that much when you moved in so I picked some things up for you. It was kind of fun for me to shop for you like that. I would love to do it again sometime if you would let me." She told him.

"Any time you want darling, but you can't pretty up a mess like me." He told her with a wink.

"You already are beautiful to me Daryl. I just want you to feel as handsome as you are." She told him.

"Just like I want you to realize how stunning you are as well. What's good for the goose…" He told her.

As soon as he took a shower and changed into his regular 'going out' clothes he slipped out for a quick smoke. He sat down on the balcony and took in the view of the town of Blue Ridge. As he finished his cigarette and went to stub it out he spotted something on the Balcony that caught his attention. It was a Marlboro cigarette butt, and Daryl smoked Parliaments. He suddenly was overwhelmed with a bad feeling as he realized that Merle smoked Marlboro's and he wondered if Merle had been here watching (or should he stay stalking) Him, Davia, or both. "Fuck" he thought to himself as he looked around the balcony and realized that the fire escape would have been easy access from the ground up to the third floor.

Daryl went marching into the house. "Davia, I don't want you here by yourself for a while." He told her a bit frantically.

"Why Daryl? What's wrong?" She asked.

"Unless you started smoking Marlboro cigarettes I think Merle has been here watching us from the balcony. Do you still have the card that has Grime's phone number on it?"

Davia nodded and went and pulled it off of the refrigerator where she had tacked it up with a magnet. Daryl quickly took it from her hands before she could get a word out. "Darling, you go get ready to head out to Dale's and let me handle this with Grimes. I don't want you worrying about it, I promise I will protect you." He assured her.

Davia nodded and headed back into her room to finish getting dressed for her show tonight. She had decided to wear an emerald green shirt that fit her curves and had a little more of a plunging neckline than she usually wore. She accented it with a black choker, black skinny jeans that she tucked into a pair of black stiletto boots that had a silver buckle on the ankle. She straightened her long chocolate hair and was surprised that it was more than three-quarters of the way down her back these days when she flattened out the curls. She then put on her trademark hoop earrings and wore her eye makeup a bit heavier than usual...she would describe it as a 'sultry look'. When she walked out of the room finally ready to go Daryl stopped his phone conversation with Rick mid-sentence. Davia didn't just look beautiful, but she looked fucking hot. And when she walked by she had on a new perfume that he hadn't noticed her wearing before and it put his physical senses into overdrive.

"So Rick, can you at least get them to patrol this area regularly? I know it was him." Daryl told the officer.

"I don't doubt that it was him Daryl, but a cigarette butt is hardly enough evidence to warrant stepped up patrols. It could have blown onto the balcony from someone else's balcony. Look, I'm not saying you are wrong. I just know that I would have a hell of a fight trying to convince my chief to allocate the manpower. Blue Ridge has a small police force and we just don't have the manpower to concentrate on just the one area. I'm sorry Daryl, but I will at least make an effort personally to keep checking the area."

"Fuck man, is that the best you can do? I mean, there is an APB out for Merle, I would think if you would really want to catch him you would hear what I am telling you. There is no doubt in my mind that Merle was here last night watching us. I wouldn't put it past him to do it again. One thing about Merle is he is a creature of habit and right now the people he is angriest at is me and Davia."

"I will take it under advisement Daryl. Now if you will let me go I will see what I can do. But for now, just keep your eyes and ears open and if you see him do not hesitate to call me."

Daryl sighed when he hung up the phone. He didn't want Davia to know how concerned he really was for both of them. Merle was acting crazy and Daryl wasn't sure what lengths he would go to so that he could get Daryl back.

…

"April, are you and Cheryl ready? I want you both at Dale's tonight finding out what you can about Davia and Daryl. I have sat back and waited long enough. Cheryl, you do what you can to talk to him and try to get him away from the big lump. I don't care if you gotta drop down under the table and suck his cock. He needs to be reminded that the fat little singer ain't right for him. She's got his head all crazy and I want you to remind him what he is missing." Merle told the girls.

He had been seething and planning all day after watching them through the window from Davia's balcony the previous night. Merle would never admit it, but his jealousy was getting the best of him. He had been injecting Meth for the past couple of days and in between his paranoid delusions, and his insatiable sexual appetite, he had been obsessing over getting his brother back. April had talked him down a few times when he wanted to just go straight out and confront his brother directly. She had convinced him that she would find a time that he could talk to Daryl one on one and that maybe Daryl would listen if Merle attempted to handle the situation calmly.

Cheryl just wanted Daryl. She didn't give a shit about the chubby singer and Daryl's relationship, as boundaries weren't her thing. Cheryl got what she wanted. Tonight as she was getting ready to head to the bar with April she was wearing a barely there mini skirt and a fitted halter top that had her ample breasts barely contained. Cheryl was going to let Daryl Dixon know she meant business and she wouldn't take no for an answer tonight. She didn't care if she had to fuck him up against a bathroom stall... Cheryl was going to take Daryl. She had never had a man satisfy her the way he had, and that was something she couldn't get over.

…

When Davia and Daryl arrived at Dale's that night the bar was hopping. Davia walked with a confidence she hadn't ever had before and Dale could see how content and happy she looked for the first time since he had met her. "Davia, you look stunning. It seems to me something, or should I say someone is making you happy."

"I am happy Dale. Thank you for noticing."

While she began singing her set, Cheryl pounced on Daryl like he was prey. He was nursing a beer watching his beautiful Siren sing and play when he heard the chair beside him slide out. Before he could even react he felt a hand slide to his crotch and a tongue in his ear. He quickly pushed Cheryl away before Davia could notice and his quick reaction left Cheryl feeling as if she had been slapped.

"What the fuck's wrong with you Dixon? Are you gonna tell me that mousy singer is taking care of your needs better than I could? I seem to remember you fucking me sideways on the hood of your truck on more than one occasion and you didn't complain. Hell Daryl, it was less than two weeks ago. You know we were good together." As she talked to him she had slipped her hand over his cock and was rubbing him continuously as she spoke.

Daryl grabbed her wrist "Get your fucking hands off of me you stupid whore. I told you this before, and I will tell you again, I ain't interested. As I recall, you were the one chasing after me, not the other way around and I only gave you what you wanted to get you to leave me the fuck alone. If I so much as catch you sniffing around me or Davia again you are gonna wish you never met Daryl Dixon. Got it?" He told her angrily. By now Davia could see the skank was attempting to talk to Daryl, but she also could see that Daryl was quite animatedly telling her to take a hike. She couldn't help but smile knowing for once someone had chosen her over the hot blonde at the bar.

Davia decided to rub it in a little bit more to Cheryl. Doing something that was totally out of character Davia got up from the piano and motioned for the guy working the lights to turn them all down except for one center spotlight. Completely stepping out of her comfort zone, Davia began to sing a Capella.

_**Never know how much I love you**_

_**Never know how much I care**_

_**When you put your arms around me**_

_**I give you fever that's so hard to bare**_

_**You give me fever**_

_**When you kiss me **_

_**Fever when you hold me tight**_

_**Fever**_

_**In the morning**_

_**Fever all through the night**_

_**Sun lights up the daytime**_

_**Moon lights up the night**_

_**I light up when you call my name**_

_**And you know I'm gonna treat you right**_

_**You give me fever**_

_**When you kiss me **_

_**Fever when you hold me tight**_

_**Fever**_

_**In the morning**_

_**Fever all through the night**_

She continued the sultry performance leaving Daryl, Dale, and all the other bar patrons stunned. Not only did Davia look sultry and seductive tonight, but she acted as such as well. Dale liked this new confidence she was showing and he couldn't deny that Daryl Dixon was good for his best singer. He also noticed that Daryl seemed more relaxed than he had ever seen him as well, and knew Davia must be equally as good for him.

One thing that was sure for Daryl was the way she looked tonight, her new confidence, and the way she sung that song left him longing for her in a way he had never longed for anyone. He was in serious need of a cold shower at the moment to kill his uncontrollable erection.

…

Later that night as Cheryl and April arrived back at April's trailer they informed Merle that Daryl wasn't taking the bait. He was standing firm to his loyalty to Davia and no matter how hard Cheryl tried, she couldn't get Daryl to break.

"The haughty little bitch was even gloating. She finally has herself a man and she ain't gonna let anyone forget it. I wanted to knock the smile off that fat slob's face right then and there." Cheryl said.

"Did y'all find out anything else?" Merle asked as he inhaled a cigarette.

"Yeah, there is wedding tomorrow and after the wedding they are having a reception at Dale's. Guess who the wedding singer is going to be? Heard Daryl was going with her. Also heard Daryl bought himself a house on the outskirts of town. It ain't livable yet, but apparently it is quite the place. Seems he is moving on up and away from you Merle." Cheryl told him.

"Hmmm…so baby brother is planning on playing house. I always saw myself living in something a little better than that shack we've been in for the past fifteen years. Yeah, Ole Merle is gonna be moving on in with him too." He said.

"Merle, in case you haven't forgot, you are wanted by the law right now. You can't go waltzing into Dale's place and confront your brother." April told him trying to talk some sense into him.

"Just leave it to me, I got this under control." Merle told them.

…

Glenn and Maggie's wedding was beautiful, and after Davia sang at the church her and Daryl drove together over to Dale's place. Daryl looked like he fit in and had allowed Davia to even trim his hair and he shaved for the first time in a few weeks. Everyone commented on what a nice looking couple he and Davia were together, and he allowed himself to relish in the fact that they did seem to go well together.

Davia had worn her hair curly for the wedding and had on a form fitting red dress with four-inch red-heeled sandals. Daryl and Davia were sitting with Beth and her friend Zach and Daryl actually felt comfortable conversing with the couple. Glenn and Maggie had taken the time to join them and after Glenn and Daryl had hit it off, Maggie insisted that the four of them hang out together sometime. Daryl agreed and they made quick plans to go out for dinner one night after Maggie and Glenn returned from their honeymoon in Antigua. This whole wedding thing was getting Daryl to think if there could ever be a possibility that he and Davia would one day get married. It was definitely too soon into the relationship to think about it, but if he continued to feel the way he did about Davia at this moment, this was something he wanted with her.

Beth had Davia were engrossed into a conversation and Daryl took the chance to slip outside to grab a quick smoke. Though he was considerably less out of place and less nervous than he thought he would be, a burst of nicotine would still be a nice perk at the moment.

The sun was setting as it was late September and the reception would be winding down soon as Dale would have to open the place back up at nine for the regular Saturday night patrons. As he lit up his cigarette he heard an all too familiar voice.

"Well Well Well…look at pretty boy. You too good for me now little brother?"

"Merle what the fuck are you doing?" Daryl said as he turned to face his brother. It didn't go unnoticed that Merle's pupils were dilated, he was sweating, and Daryl surmised he was using Meth. What Merle didn't notice was that as he approached, Daryl pushed the number on his cell that would ring directly to Rick Grime's phone.

"Just wanted to see ya for myself. Seems that since you started seeing little miss piggy you forgot all about where your loyalties lie." Merle replied.

"Merle, I can't continue to let you rule my life. You are a fucking mess and you keep pulling me into it. I don't wanna live my life like that anymore. I remember when you were straight, you were really someone I wanted to be then, but now…you ain't nothing but a fucking joke. I can't be around you no more and I can't take care of you." He told his brother.

"TAKE CARE OF ME? Are you fucking kidding, it seems to me that I was the one taking care of you for all those years when no one else was around to do it? Seems you forgot that."

"I didn't forget Merle, but you can't keep holding it over my head. It ain't a debt to repay, it's what family does for each other."

As Merle was about to reply they both heard a siren approaching the bar. "Boy what the fuck did you do?"

Daryl simply held up his cell phone showing that their conversation was playing to an unknown person on the other end of the line. In Merle's drug induced condition he snapped and lunged at Daryl. He began to beat his younger brother mercilessly and because Daryl had been caught off guard he wasn't able to defend himself like he normally would have been able too. As they could hear the cars fast approaching, Merle pulled out his hunting knife and ripped it into Daryl's abdomen, cutting layers of flesh as the sharp object made contact with is body.

"YOU MADE ME DO THIS BOY…NOT ME…YOU…IT AIN'T OVER." He screamed as he dropped Daryl's gravely injured body onto the ground and took off running into the woods behind the bar.

Daryl felt like his gut was on fire. Nothing was making sense and he knew he had been injured, but he wasn't exactly sure what happened. He tried to stand up, but stumbled. Determined, he crawled over to the wall and pulled himself up and followed the wall to the entrance of the building.

Davia and the others gasped as Daryl crumpled to the floor at the entrance of the bar, his new clothes covered in blood. She quickly rushed to his side "HELP ME…Please someone help NOW!"

Within seconds the police arrived and an ambulance was summoned to rush Daryl to the hospital. Daryl was bleeding out rapidly on the floor of Dale's bar and Davia could barely control herself at seeing his body near lifeless. Daryl reached up with his last bit of strength and cupped Davia's face and whispered to her "Merle did this."

**So I hope you enjoyed this...you know I have a thing for Daryl Whump...and poor boy couldn't catch a break in this story. **

**Please let me know what you think and leave me a review. **

**I Really appreciate all of the support and love this story is getting. **

**3 More sundays until Season 5...can't wait. **

**Hugs and Kisses to each and everyone of you...can't wait to hear from ya.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	7. Chapter 7

Merle felt like his world was crashing down on him and he didn't know how to react. He had always been able to manipulate and control his baby brother, and when Daryl finally stood up to Merle and told him that he no longer wanted him in his life Merle snapped. Or should he say "fucked up royally". Now Merle was back at April's trying to get his brother's blood off his hands, literally. He didn't know what made him react so violently towards the one person that he truly cared about, other than he felt betrayed.

Merle scrubbed his hands over and over, but it seemed that the blood wouldn't leave him. The sink ran red as he washed his hands and the sight slightly sickened Merle. Especially now since he was coming down from his high and the realization of what he had done was crashing down on him. When he walked into April's home covered in blood she had let out a yelp thinking Merle had been wounded. When she realized it was someone else's blood she had become somewhat concerned, but happy that her man was still safe.

"Merle what happened?" April inquired.

"Fucked up princess. I gotta get out of this area and I need your help." He told her.

"Only if you take me with you." She replied.

"Don't think so. It's too dangerous for ya." He replied. It was bullshit, but he didn't want her with him.

Merle left quickly after informing April he had to leave and found himself in the woods. He pulled out his Meth and began to inject the drugs directly into his veins. Smoking it wouldn't do at the time, as he needed to get high quick. After he felt the drug flowing through his blood stream he leaned back against a tree and reflected on what he had done. Fuck, he had most likely killed his baby brother, the one and only person in his life that meant anything to him.

Merle still had the bloody knife on his person and as he pulled it out to try to scrape the dried blood from his fingernails. He kept replaying the events of earlier in his head and all he could think of was the fact he destroyed the one thing in his life that was good because he was jealous. Of course, Merle would never admit it to anyone…including himself. He reflected on all of the abuse that Daryl and him had endured at the hands of their father. No one knew the horrors they had suffered except for each other. He recalled the difficult decision to leave Daryl and join the military, and then the choice to return to Blue Ridge after Daryl had been left destitute because of his work accident. Daryl was the only constant in his life, and when Daryl had shown interest in Davia, Merle couldn't cope.

"Fuck Fuck Fuck." Merle began to yell, only the trees were close enough to hear his outburst. "Why did you destroy the only thing that mattered?" Merle continued to yell. Whether it was the drugs, guilt, or just plain insanity, Merle took his knife into his left hand and began to hack at his right hand. The pain was unbearable, but it was also liberating at the same time. He cut through the bone, tendons, and muscles until he was covered in both his own and the remnants of his brothers blood, and his right hand lay on the ground, separated from his body.

When Merle looked down and saw his severed appendage he whispered out loud "Well you done it now Dixon." And then he let out a crazed laugh as the blood began to cover the ground beside him.

…

For Davia, everything was moving in slow motion. She had been at the hospital for twelve hours now and she had refused to leave Daryl's side. Currently he was in ICU hooked up to a ventilator that was breathing for him. He had so many tubes and wires attached to him Davia couldn't help but think that he looked like a science experiment. The doctor's had used words like "massive blood loss" "internal organ damage" and the most terrifying to her was "wounds with a high mortality rate."

She kept replaying the events of the past day in her head. After Daryl had crawled back into the entranceway of Dale's and collapsed, Davia had rushed to him. She was covered in Daryl's blood in moments and had been almost inconsolable as she screamed for help. For some unknown reason the police had showed up just seconds after Daryl had made it inside the bar and Rick Grimes was the first person to begin to administer first aid to the severely injured Daryl. Hershel, being a vet and having a good understanding of medical knowledge immediately shed his suit jacket and began to assist Rick in trying to staunch the blood flow just so they could keep Daryl alive until the paramedics arrived.

The only blessing that had happened during this time was that Maggie and Glenn had just left for their honeymoon before Merle had attacked his brother. The wedding reception was winding down and other than the Greene family and a few others, most of the guests had left. Davia knew that if Daryl survived this incident that he would have been mortified to have appeared so weak in front of a large group of people. Daryl was a private person and having to play out the most terrifying moment of your life in front of a group of strangers would deeply embarrass him.

When the paramedics arrived they quickly stabilized Daryl and rushed him to the hospital as an extreme trauma patient. Beth knew that Davia was freaking out and had no other family, so her and Zach offered to take Davia to the hospital, which she quickly accepted. Beth had always looked up to Davia and had admired her talent, her beauty, and her strength. She knew Davia had struggled with a tough life and that her foster family wasn't known for being the most caring or kind family in the area. When Davia had turned eighteen and moved out, her foster family had moved from the area, and Beth had lost touch with Davia other than the occasional times she was with her family and they ran into Davia in public. From what they had heard, other than Davia performing in local bars and clubs, Davia had become withdrawn from society. That was why Beth had been ecstatic when she heard Davia would be singing at Maggie's wedding, and even more overjoyed when Davia had shown up with a date. To Beth, Davia and Daryl were perfect for each other, as it was no secret in Blue Ridge what Daryl had suffered through at the hands of Will Dixon.

Daryl had been taken into emergency surgery and Davia, Beth, and Zach waited for hours in the waiting room to hear news on his condition. Davia was still in her blood covered dress and Beth couldn't help but relate to the old photos of Jackie Kennedy when President Kennedy had been shot and she was still wearing her blood covered clothes as they swore in President Lyndon Johnson on Air Force One. Davia hadn't said much, but her face spoke volumes. Davia was terrified that she was going to lose the man she was involved with.

Beth, sensing how upset Davia was, moved over to sit beside the woman while they were in the waiting area of the hospital. She gently took Davia's hand into her own and began to lovingly caress it while Zach told them he would go get them all coffee. It looked like it was going to be a long night and Beth wasn't going to abandon the woman that she had always looked up too in her most desperate moment. "Davia, I'm here for you as long as you need me." She reassured.

"You don't need to do this Beth. I don't want to put you out by any means. I can handle it on my own." Davia replied.

"I know you can, but I don't want you to have too. No one should have to go through something like this by themselves."

Zach returned with the coffee and the three of them waited for the Doctor to come and update them on Daryl's condition. As they were waiting a huge commotion broke out at the front entrance to the hospital and all three turned to see news trucks, media, cops, and various other onlookers bursting into the waiting room. Something had happened and before they could register what was going on, a reporter made a beeline towards Davia in an attempt to get an interview with her.

Fortunately hospital security intervened and kept the reporters at bay as the trio continued to wait for the news on Daryl. The doctor, who had a name that Davia couldn't pronounce but told her to just call him "Dr. S" came into the waiting room and gave them an update on Daryl's condition. He had survived the surgery, but he would need another surgery soon. Currently they had not closed his wounds. His Liver, stomach, spleen, and lung had all been lacerated by Merle's attack and they had gone in to repair the wounds. Daryl's breathing was compromised so they had chosen to hook him up to a ventilator and would close up the abdominal wounds as soon as they were sure that they had all of the bleeding under control. As the night passed into the wee hours of the morning Beth and Zach had to leave as they had obligations in the morning, but Beth promised to return and bring Davia a change of clothes as soon as she was free. She gave Davia a quick hug and Davia gave her a key to her apartment so Beth could pick her up a few things.

They had moved Daryl into ICU and Davia's heart broke as she looked at this man she deeply cared for. His pallor was as pale as she had ever seen anyone, and besides the obvious wounds across is lower torso, his body was covered in bruises and both of his eyes were blackened and almost swollen shut. Apparently Merle had inflicted quite the beating on Daryl in his fit of rage and Daryl hadn't been able to defend himself. Davia guessed that Daryl would have never thought his brother was capable of turning on him like he had, which resulted in Daryl having his guard down. Davia also felt a huge sense of guilt. Had Daryl not chosen to be with Davia the events from a week ago probably wouldn't have happened. Merle would have been drunk, Daryl would have taken him home, and Merle would have never ended up in jail. Now she prayed that Daryl didn't blame her as well for destroying his life. She had grown so attached to this man in such a short period of time she didn't want to lose him, but if he survived he probably was going to see the truth of all this and realize it was Davia that caused the entire debacle.

Regardless of what would happen down the road, Davia had made up her mind she wouldn't abandon Daryl while he was in this vulnerable state. If He chose to rid himself of her once he healed up, then she would take it hard, but she would understand. Davia was used to disappointment in life, and she didn't think this situation would turn out better. However, right now the most important thing to her was Daryl's health and recovery. Seeing him so broken hurt her deeply and she wanted nothing more than to go back twenty four hours and change the way things had turned out.

Davia pulled up a chair beside Daryl's bed and gently took his bandaged hand into hers and began to wait. She would wait with him until he woke up or…she didn't want to think about it. She just wanted him to survive so that she could apologize to him for what she had done. Davia also prayed that he wouldn't rid himself of her when he finally came to the realization that she was a poison in his life like she had been in everyone else's she had ever cared about.

…

Rick Grimes had been surprised when his phone rang and he answered to hear a conversation on the other end. He quickly recognized Daryl's voice and realized the other individual on the line with Daryl was his brother Merle. Rick quickly jumped into his squad car and headed towards Dale's bar where he knew Daryl had attended Maggie and Glenn's wedding with Davia. He radioed back up from the radio in his car and quickly headed towards Dale's place. He had heard the altercation between the Dixon brothers and based on the feedback he heard he knew something grave had happened to Daryl. They arrived to find that Merle had already left the scene and that Daryl had been severely injured at the hands of his older brother. Rick couldn't comprehend how a brother could turn so viciously on his own family member, but then again Rick had never been desperate and strung out either.

After seeing the condition Daryl was in, Rick wasn't sure if Daryl was even going to survive. It seemed a shame, as Rick actually liked Daryl. Yeah, he had his rough edges, but he seemed to also possess a strong sense of right and wrong and apparently that had been the catalyst for Daryl wanting to distance himself from his older brother. Well it was that and his relationship with Davia. Rick had known, or should he say 'known of' Davia since high school. She was a cute girl that he would say bordered on timid, until it came time for her to sing. He knew she had lived a shitty life in foster care and after an incident in high school with one of the guys on the football team she pretty much became a recluse. He didn't know the exact details, but he suspected it had to do with a tryst gone badly. Lori had told him that she had a crush on the guy and after they had slept together the guy had ditched her, and that had sent Davia spiraling out of control. It didn't seem to fit and the cop in Rick had never completely accepted the story.

Rick was now determined more than ever to find Merle Dixon and bring him to justice. It was obvious that Merle was considered an extreme threat to the public and if he could turn so vicious on his own brother, there would be no stopping him if he felt threatened by someone he didn't know. Merle had already allegedly attacked one man that had caught him breaking into his house and issued a vicious beating to the guy. Now the stakes were raised and Merle's desperation made him even more of a threat.

Fortunately a break had come shortly after Merle's attack on Daryl. An elderly woman in a trailer park across town had reported seeing a suspicious man that met Merle's description covered in blood entering through the back door of the trailer across from her.

Within twenty minutes of the call Rick was on his way to check out the situation. He had summoned the Georgia State Bureau of investigation as well as backup from the Blue Ridge police department and inside the trailer they found April Langley, higher than a kite and with a huge stash of heroin and Meth stored underneath her bed. April was an attractive girl, but looked older than her thirty- two years of age. Apparently she had been trafficking drugs for a while and using Dale's place as a front to meet up with her buyers. The only reason Rick knew all of this was that April volunteered all of the information the first minute that law enforcement approached her home. She told them that Merle had been there but he had left about an hour earlier.

A K-9 unit had arrived and they quickly had picked up Merle's scent through the woods. They heard hysterical laughter right before they stumbled upon a drugged out Merle covered in his own blood and handless. His self-amputated hand was sitting in the dirt beside him and Rick was in total disbelief as to what he was seeing. Merle had lost so much blood that Rick wasn't even sure how the man was still conscious.

They carted Merle out of the woods and he was quickly taken to the hospital, the second Dixon to be taken in as a trauma patient that night. As the media got wind that Merle had been apprehended a fury of reporters emerged upon the hospital to get details of what had happened with the Dixon brothers. With Blue Ridge being a small town it didn't take the media long to find out that Davia was involved with Daryl and she suddenly became a sought out source for an interview. Thankfully the hospital security had prevented reporters from approaching her while she waited for Daryl to come through surgery and she also was unaware that Merle had been captured as well as amputated his own hand. For the first time in 10 days the Dixon's were residing under the same roof, under completely different circumstances.

…

Sun had begun to filter through the window and Davia still hadn't slept. She remained by Daryl's bedside waiting for him to wake. The doctor would be in soon to remove Daryl from the Ventilator and if he did well then they would take him down for the second surgery. It was now Sunday morning and Davia had remembered Daryl telling her he was going to teach her to drive today. Davia fought back a sob thinking about the fact that Daryl may never get the chance to do so.

Tears were pouring down her face as the nurse came in to check Daryl's vitals. "Oh honey, you haven't moved all night. Why don't you go grab a cup of coffee while I'm in here with him." She said.

"No, that's OK, I don't want him to wake up alone." Davia told the nurse.

"Well I will have some breakfast and coffee brought in for you. My name is Carol and you must be Davia. Your name is all over the news." Carol informed her.

"What? Why?" Davia asked confused.

"This story with Daryl and his brother is the biggest thing to happen in this area in a long time. I can't believe that Merle cut off his own hand before they caught him." Carol told her.

"What are you talking about? When did they catch Merle and how do you know he cut off his hand? That doesn't seem like Merle. He loves himself too much to do something like that." Davia said.

"Merle Dixon's exploits are legendary in these parts, and I have to admit I'm shocked too. They have him here in the hospital, but of course he is under heavy guard. He came in a couple of hours after Daryl last night, high as a kite. Apparently he is feeling remorse over what he did to Daryl." Carol informed Davia.

"That's even harder to believe. I hate to say it, but if he dropped dead right this minute I wouldn't give a damn. What he did to Daryl is unforgivable and so help me if He makes it and Daryl doesn't, I might take out Merle Dixon myself." Davia said angrily. It wasn't her normal nature to be vengeful, but she was so angry at the moment she couldn't help but express her self.

"I will pretend I didn't hear that Davia, but I also would probably do the same thing." Carol admitted to her.

Davia held onto Daryl's hand tightly as Carol was checking his vitals and drawing a few vials of blood. She noticed that he seemed to squeeze her hand and she looked over as his eyes began to flutter open. "Carol I think he is waking up." Davia said in a hopeful voice.

Daryl woke with an agonizing pain in his belly and completely confused as to where he was. He started panicking when he realized he was intubated and began to pull on the tube running down his throat.

"Woah Daryl honey, calm down." Carol said in a soothing voice as she placed her hands on his arms to hold them down. She quickly pushed the Nurse call button to get another nurse to come in and assist her with securing Daryl.

Davia quickly spoke in as a calm of a tone as she could muster "Daryl it's me. Please don't pull on the tubing sweetie. It's helping you to breathe."

Daryl was unable to speak, but hearing Davia's voice calmed him enough that he was able to register the commands that Davia and Carol were issuing to him. "Just let the machine breathe for you Daryl and don't try to fight it. We will get the doctor in here to see if we can remove it." Carol told him.

Daryl tried to relax, but it was difficult because he felt like he was being suffocated. Davia kept talking to him "Just relax Daryl, I'm here with you and I'm not going anywhere." She whispered to him. He responded by gripping her small hand as tightly as he could.

Dr. S entered the room and they decided that the best thing to do was remove the ventilator. It appeared Daryl was fully capable of breathing on his own at this point and the distress that the machine was causing Daryl wasn't a good thing. After it was removed they sedated Daryl and took him back into surgery and with any luck they would be able to close up his wounds and Daryl could begin the healing process. The doctor told Davia that Daryl was doing remarkably well considering his injuries. His vitals were strong and he attributed it to Daryl's good health and relatively young age.

While Davia was waiting for Daryl to return Beth and Zach showed back up. It was now close to lunchtime and Beth could see how exhausted Davia was. "Davia have you even slept at all?" She inquired.

"No, but I will when I know Daryl is going to be OK." She told the girl.

Beth looked at Davia "You aren't going to do him any good if you are dead on your feet. Why don't you take a shower in the bathroom and then get some rest. We won't leave you until Daryl is back in the room. Come on Davia, your killing yourself."

"I might feel better after a shower." She agreed.

Davia took the clothes Beth had brought her and went into the small hospital bathroom to take a shower and change. While she was getting cleaned up Beth and Zach took the pullout chair and fixed it up so Davia could get some rest. When Davia emerged from the shower Beth and Zach led her to the new makeshift bed and coaxed her into lying down and getting some sleep. Within minutes Davia was out and Beth and Zach quietly turned on the small TV and waited for news on Daryl.

And they waited for five hours. When Daryl was finally rolled back into the room and exhausted Dr. S followed in to address Davia. "It took longer than we expected. We had to repair a few bleeders, and we ended up removing his spleen. However we have his wounds closed up now and the only thing we need to monitor is infection. It looks like he is going to pull through. To be honest with you I have never known anyone to survive such a serious wound. Mr. Dixon is one lucky man."

A groggy Davia replied "How long will it take him to heal up?"

"With the staples and sutures in his abdomen he will be limited with his movement for a few weeks. When we remove them I would guess it would be another month before he is able to return to normal activities. I would estimate he will be out of work for a good two to three months." The doctor informed her.

"I'll make sure he takes it easy during that time." Davia let the doctor know.

"Oh, we also had to give him three units of blood. He was also issued three units last night as well. However, all things considered he is doing well. He's a strong man and very fortunate. Right now we will continue to administer fluids and antibiotics and he will most likely be a patient for a week until his antibiotic treatment is completed and we are sure that he remains stable." Dr S told her.

"Thank you for saving his life." Davia said as tears slipped down her face. She was suddenly overwhelmed with a huge sense of relief.

No matter what it took, she would make sure that Daryl had a full recovery and that she would spend the rest of her life letting him know just how much he meant to her. Almost losing the man she just met opened up her eyes and made her realize just how important he was becoming to her. Davia was falling in love for the first time, and she liked the way it felt.

**I hope you aren't disappointed with this chapter. Not a lot of action, but there is PLENTY to come. I promise.**

**Please feel free to offer up a review and let me know what you think or if you are disappointed with this chapter too...I will understand. I have lots going on in my head, but sometimes it gets difficult to put it down the way I want it to come across to the reader. **

**Love you guys and I am thankful for the support and kind reviews. Take care and 2 more sundays before we get the real Daryl Dixon back.**

**Thanks-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	8. Chapter 8

Daryl had been back in the room for a couple of hours and still had not woken. Carol had been in to check on him before her shift ended and assured Davia, Beth, and Zach that it was normal for him to be sleeping because He had been through quite a traumatic ordeal and his body needed to rest. He appeared to at least be resting comfortably and at this time it was the best that Davia could hope for.

Beth and Zach made sure that Davia ate dinner and then left shortly thereafter. Once again Beth agreed to go by and pick up some clothes and bring them back to Davia. She knew that Davia would refuse to leave Daryl while he was in such a vulnerable position but also knew the girl would completely neglect herself in return.

Around ten that night Daryl began to stir and Davia gripped onto his hand so he knew she was with him. Because of the swelling from Merle's beating, Daryl's eyes were barely more than slits. He looked confused at his surroundings but it didn't take him long to realize where he was and that Davia was with him. He tried to speak, but his throat was raw as a result of the tube that had been there earlier. All he managed to muster was a very raspy whisper. "Davia you need sleep."

"I promise I will get some, don't wear yourself out trying to talk." Whether it was the exhaustion or relief she didn't know, but tears once again flowed down her cheek. Daryl struggled, but reached his hand up to wipe the tears from her cheek. He then took her hand and brought it too his parched lips and gently kissed it. "Don't cry for me Davia…I'll be fine." He tried to assure her.

She nodded and continued to hold onto him. His hand was her lifeline to him right now. She longed to be in his arms or to be able to wrap her arms around him, but Daryl was a long way from any of that happening. He began to drift back to sleep, but before he did he whispered on final thing to her "Driving lessons are going to have to wait."

…

Davia had Daryl's cell phone and as he slept she made a call to Tyreese to tell him what had happened. Tyreese told her he would stop by the hospital to check on Daryl after work the next day, and for her not to worry about anything. Daryl would be eligible to collect short-term disability (at a reduced salary) during his recuperation and that meant that he would still be getting a paycheck. He was also blessed to have decent health insurance, which meant the hospital bills would be taken care of. At least that was one stress that would be relieved.

Davia was also surprised when Dale and Irma stopped by to check on Daryl late Sunday night. Dale insisted that Davia take the week off from performing, and she said she would consider it. Davia really didn't want to forego her paycheck though, especially now that Daryl would be collecting a reduced income while he convalesced. She was willing to do anything to make sure he was taken care of. What had happened to him was not his fault, and she didn't want him to suffer financially, especially since he had just purchased the house and had yet to make his first mortgage payment. She knew it was going to kill him to not be able to work on the house to get it in live-in condition, but his physical limitations at the current time were going to prohibit him from doing any construction.

Daryl awoke again close to midnight and saw that Davia hadn't moved much. She was still holding onto his hand and looked uncomfortable in the chair beside his bed. Speaking was difficult for him, but he still managed to issue a hoarse whisper "baby you gotta get some rest."

"Shhh Daryl, don't try to talk." She told him.

"Pull the reclining chair over beside the bed and sleep." He told her. Even in his weakened condition he was still concerned for Davia's well being.

She did as he told her and within a few moments he felt he hand slacken and she was fast asleep. It was as if she was waiting for permission from Daryl to rest. Daryl took in his surroundings and realized he had been catheterized. "That's not gonna feel good coming out." He thought to himself. He couldn't see his abdomen, but he could feel it and he knew it must have been a mess. He felt incredibly weak and just the slightest movement both hurt and exhausted him. Daryl had always been a very physically active person and being injured like this was not something he wanted to deal with.

There wasn't one part of him that didn't hurt or ache and if he barely attempted to move his torso he was overwhelmed with a burning pain that radiated through his body. "Another fucking scar to add to the collection" Daryl told himself. He began to replay the events of the previous day in his head and his mind quickly went to Merle. He wondered where Merle was and if he had been apprehended. Daryl felt like a traitor by doing what he did to Merle, but Merle's present state of mind was dangerous, and Daryl didn't want to risk any harm coming to Davia. Had it just been him involved, he would have let Merle go about his business, but this was different and the one person he began to think about more than himself was worth protecting, even if it was from the only family he had left. He reckoned he was a disloyal piece of shit, but when it came to Davia, he didn't care.

He moved his head to take in Davia's sleeping form. To him she looked like a beautiful angel, so full of love and kindness. His body longed to hold her in his arms, to kiss her, and one day soon he hoped to make love to her. What? Daryl Dixon wanted to actually make love to a woman, and not fuck her senseless so he could gain a quick physical release. He wanted all of Davia for himself, and even after knowing her for just a short period of time, he couldn't imagine what it would be like not to have her in his life. She was his saving grace, and he wanted to reciprocate to her. If this was what love was like he finally understood why people spoke so highly about it. Daryl couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, but Davia Longstreet made his heart sing. His last thoughts before he drifted back into sleep were of the two of them walking hand and hand at the beach, watching a sunset as warm water encompassed their feet.

…

Davia was woken up by a light knock on the door to Daryl's room. She quietly answered for whomever to knock to enter, and was surprised when a feeble looking older man entered, accompanied by an African American woman.

"Hello Miss, My name is William and this is my wife Jacqui. We heard about the trouble on the news and the Lord led me here to pray over the young man." He said kindly.

"Um OK, I just ask that you don't wake him up." She replied. There was something familiar about the man and she wondered if she had gone to church with him at some point in her past. He seemed to be kind and gentle, but it was obvious that life had taken a toll on his body.

William and Jacqui made their way to Daryl's bedside and gently laid hands on him and began to pray. She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but the look that William gave Daryl almost looked pained. She wondered if he had suffered a loss of a child at some point in his life. As if he could read her mind he spoke "Lost my boy's about twenty years ago, seeing this young man like this brings back a lot of painful memories." Davia noticed the man had tears in his eyes and his wife had reached out and placed her arm on the older man's shoulder, trying to comfort him.

Shortly thereafter, William and Jacqui left, but Davia had a feeling that there was more to the story than what he had told her. Her thoughts were interrupted when Carol came in the room to check on Daryl. "Not in a million years would I have thought that Will Dixon would stop by to check on his son. He's been gone from these parts for nearly twenty years. It looks like he has changed drastically in that time."

Davia was speechless. That was Daryl's father? The evil man who had placed all those vicious marks on Daryl's back and the man who had destroyed any sense of self-worth that Daryl ever had. Davia couldn't help it, as she was suddenly overcome by rage.

"Will Dixon…I'm glad Daryl wasn't awake for the visit. That man doesn't deserve to share the same air that Daryl breathes." Davia said firmly. Apparently a little too firmly as her voice roused Daryl from his sleep as he caught the tail end of her conversation.

"Who was it" he croaked out. His battered throat refused to let him speak in anything other than a weak whisper.

Davia and Carol both turned to look at Daryl and he suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Apparently something had happened while he was asleep and he picked up on anger on Davia's face and curiosity on Carol's. Carol looked to Davia letting her know she needed to tell Daryl.

"You had a visitor while you were asleep. It was your father and his wife." Davia said flatly.

Daryl couldn't have been more shocked at the news Davia just delivered him. She noticed a gambit of emotions rolling over his bruised face. However, he remained silent.

"Daryl are you OK?" Davia asked concerned about his lack of reaction.

He simply nodded. Speaking was too painful. To be honest, Daryl wasn't sure what he was feeling at this moment. It had been over twenty years since he had last seen or heard from his father. The man had never given a damn about him in the past and had caused him unspeakable harm physically and emotionally. Daryl didn't know how to process the news that one of the biggest ghosts from his past had come to check up on him.

Carol spoke to him calmly "Daryl I need you to relax so I can draw some blood. Your too tense right this minute and its going to make it difficult. If you want I can make sure he doesn't return unless you give him approval."

Daryl didn't move or say anything. Davia guessed that he didn't really know what to say or how to react. She did notice that his knuckles were white and he was grasping the sheets tightly. Quickly she took his tensed hands into hers and began to rub them gently. She moved so she was close enough to whisper in his ear "Daryl, relax and breathe so Carol can draw your blood. Don't worry about your father another moment, I will make sure that he doesn't return. If I had known it was him in the first place I would have never let him in here." She assured him.

Daryl whispered "How did he look?"

The question surprised Davia, why would Daryl care? "Old, like he had lived a rough life."

Daryl nodded again. Carol quickly finished drawing his blood "Daryl make sure you get plenty of rest today. A respiratory therapist will be in to go through some breathing exorcises with you in a couple of hours. We can't have you developing pneumonia and they also want to make sure the laceration to your lung isn't going to cause any prolonged problems. Dr. S will be in later to check on you as well. Your blood pressure is a little higher than I like it, so you need to relax or we will need to sedate you. Right now you need to focus on healing up and worry about the other things later."

After Carol left Daryl motioned for Davia to come over and sit beside him again. Holding her hand gave him a calmness that had always been difficult for him to achieve. Daryl finally asked the question Davia had been dreading "Merle?"

"I don't know all the details Daryl, but he was brought in shortly after you. They said he cut off his hand in some drugged out state."

Daryl tried processing the news that Davia had just told him, but not in a million years would he have expected Merle to try to cut off his hand. Merle loved Merle too damn much. He didn't get too much time to process that thought before Rick Grimes knocked on the door and entered the room.

"They said you were awake Daryl and I wanted to talk to you and get your official statement." Rick said.

Davia spoke immediately "Can it wait Rick? He can barely speak."

"It won't take long, and we really need to get the official statement while it is still fresh on his mind." Rick replied.

Daryl nodded in approval. Rick could see how tired and weak Daryl looked, and he really hated to do official business with someone in Daryl's current state, but he also didn't want the state's case against Merle to weaken because of the length of time that had passed since the incident. He decided he would ask the questions in a manner where Daryl wouldn't have to speak too much.

"OK Daryl let's begin. When you called me from your phone how much time had passed between first encountering Merle and you making the call? I heard the conversation and I do have it recorded." He informed Daryl.

"Immediately" Daryl replied, still only able to muster a whisper.

"Did he disclose where he had been hiding out?" Rick asked.

"No"

"Had you had any contact with him prior to the incident at Dale's bar?" Rick inquired.

"No…I think he was at Davia's the night before watching us. I called you about that too." Daryl managed to croak out. Davia was watching Daryl struggle to get out his answers and it was killing her. She hated seeing someone as strong as Daryl so weak at the moment.

"OK Daryl, I need you to tell me exactly what happened when he first approached you in the parking lot at Dale's. Take your time because I know it's difficult for you to speak right now." Rick said.

"Went out to smoke, he showed up…" Daryl took a few breaths then continued "called me pretty boy."

"And how did you react to that? Did you instigate anything with him?" Rick asked.

Daryl shook his head. He drew another breath "Told me I was disloyal and I told him he wasn't worth a shit strung out. He was fucking higher than a kite" Daryl informed the officer.

"The toxicology report came back and confirmed that he had Methamphetamine and heroin in his system, so your observation of his condition was correct. At what point did he attack you Daryl?" Rick inquired.

"When he heard the sirens. He knocked me to the ground, began to beat me, then he gutted me with his knife." Daryl said, wincing in pain as he recalled Merle's violent attack.

"Did he say anything while he attacked you?"

"Told me I made him do it. That's all I remember. I crawled into the bar and collapsed." Daryl told him, the last words trailing off as Daryl fought hard to remain conscious. The conversation had worn him out and Rick knew Daryl had met his limits.

"Thanks Daryl." Rick said.

"Rick, I wanna see him" Daryl managed to get out.

"I don't think it's a good idea, but I will see what I can arrange." Rick told him.

Davia then spoke "I agree with Rick. Daryl you can't even walk or sit up, I don't think you should get yourself worked up over Merle."

"Something I gotta do." He said as he slipped into a hazy sleep.

…

After Rick had received Daryl's deposition, Daryl had fell into a deep sleep and remained there for the next two days. He woke up briefly when Carol or any of the other nurses would come in to draw blood or check his vitals, or if the Respiratory Therapist would come in and have Daryl do breathing treatments, but other than that, he slept. Davia remained faithfully by his side the entire time and had relied heavily on Beth and Zach dropping by each day to bring her a change of clothes or anything else she needed. She was greatly indebted to the young couple and made a mental note to do something-extra special for them once Daryl was healed up.

Tyreese had dropped by to check on Daryl on Monday night, and there had been various other visitors during those couple of days. Some church people that Davia had known back in the day, including her old pastor. Hershel even stopped by to check on Daryl and to offer any support that he or Davia would need. Davia was truly touched by the kindness everyone had shown. Dale and Irma dropped by again and Once again Dale offered to let Davia have some time off, but she decided it was best if she would perform. She really could use the money to help Daryl get through this tough time.

On Tuesday afternoon Daryl woke up for good. He was healing remarkably well and Dr. S said they should try to get him up and on his feet. Movement would be difficult with his staples, but he hadn't developed any signs of infection and after a quick scan it looked like there were also no signs of any internal bleeding. Daryl Dixon was a lucky man.

He had regained his voice, albeit roughly, and he asked about Merle. Davia said she hadn't heard anything on his condition, but she knew he was still a patient at the hospital. Rick had been unable to clear a visit for Daryl and Daryl was less than happy about that.

Tuesday evening Carol arrived for her shift and informed Daryl that they were going to have to remove his catheter. The look of horror on Daryl's face spoke volumes and Davia almost wanted to giggle as she thought about the poor individual whom would be tasked with removing the medical device. After a tense discussion, Daryl told Carol he would feel more comfortable with a male attendant handling the chore, and Carol actually looked relieved.

Davia decided it was a good time to go grab a coffee while Daryl went through his little personal hell. There wasn't any way he would want her there while they took care of removing the catheter. The lucky Medical intern who had been selected to perform the procedure was a little nerdy looking man named Milton. Davia just gave him a look of pity as he entered the room and she exited it to retrieve her coffee. She wasn't very far down the hall before she heard a stream of obscenities that would make a sailor blush. At least Daryl had gained his voice back.

She returned to him about fifteen minutes later with coffee in hand. He looked a little more comfortable now and she guessed he was probably relieved to have the catheter removed. He even managed a smile for her when she sat down next to him. "How did it go?"

"Don't want to talk about it. Worse thing is now I gotta piss which means either I figure out how to get myself up or I pee in a jug." He said. Davia was fighting hard not to laugh. As bad as she felt for Daryl's dilemma, she found it amusing that he was still holding onto a bit of vanity.

"I can help you try to get up, but we may need someone else. You want me to call Carol?" She asked.

He shook his head "yes" and she hit the nurse call button. Carol made her way to Daryl's room and the two of them managed to get Daryl up on his feet. His legs barely held his weight, but after some patience and some colorful swearing, they managed to get Daryl to the bathroom, and left giving him his privacy. Miraculously he managed to do his business and open the door so Davia and Carol could get him back to the bed. Getting back into the bed was a bit trickier than getting out of it, but after a few grimaces and much help from the women they managed to get him in the bed and sitting in an upright position.

"Thanks" he told them both. All three of them were surprised when there was a knock at the door and both Rick and Shane entered the room.

"What is it?" Davia quickly asked.

"It's Merle. Daryl if you want to see him it has finally been arranged. We don't have much time though. He has developed Sepsis and the doctor doesn't think he is going to make it through the night." Rick informed them.

The room was overcome by a stony silence, as no one was able to speak. "Take me too him now." Daryl insisted.

"Daryl I…"Davia said before he raised his hand and let her know that no matter what she said his mind was made up.

"Gotta see him. Can't let him leave this world alone. Ain't right, I'm all he's got left." Daryl said. Davia was trying to gain an understanding of how Daryl could forget all the horrible things that Merle had done to him. Maybe it was true about blood being thicker than water.

Carol then spoke. "Daryl do you think you could manage to go down in a wheel chair? We'll have to move you again and I'm concerned because your trip a little bit of go about wore you out."

"Don't matter. I can rest later. I gotta see him. Take me now or I will walk down there myself."

Davia quickly intervened "Carol if you can get us a wheel chair I'm sure Rick and Shane can help get Daryl out of bed." Daryl gave Davia a nod of appreciation and Carol quickly returned with a wheelchair. Shane and Rick both helped Daryl get situated. Shane looked peeved but he didn't say anything, but he did managed to flash a sweet smile at Davia. Rick caught it, but Daryl didn't thankfully.

When they made it down to Merle's room Rick and Shane chose to wait outside the door. Davia wasn't sure what to do so she looked to Daryl. "Do you want me to come in there with you or wait out here? It's your call." She told him.

He weakly reached for her hand "Need ya with me."

She nodded and she pushed him inside the room. A nurse was at Merle's bedside and acknowledged Daryl and Davia "we are doing all we can to make him comfortable. I'm sorry things didn't turn out better. When they found him his wounds were already infected and we have tried everything possible to get it under control, but unfortunately he was already too far gone." She said sadly.

Merle looked like a shell of the person he had been just over a week ago. The male bravado was completely gone and Davia couldn't believe how much he had aged in such a short period of time. He was as pale as a ghost and Davia wasn't convinced he was even alive when they arrived in the room and she felt Daryl tense when he first saw his brother.

Merle opened up his eyes and spoke "You made it. Thought I finished ya off. They wouldn't tell me a fucking thing."

Daryl didn't say much "Yeah. You came close but I'm a tough son of a bitch."

"Sorry man. I ain't got no excuse other than I was fucked up. You know they say the only one who can ole Merle is Merle himself…Reckon I did a good job this time." Merle told him.

"Don't talk like that, maybe the antibiotics will kick in a little later." Daryl said, his voice was tense and Davia could tell he was trying to keep his emotions in check.

"Naw…not this time baby brother. Look, I ain't got much time left but I wanna tell ya a couple of things before I check out."

"No Merle…don't say it." Daryl said, no longer able to hold back his tears. It broke Davia's heart to see him hurting this way. She may not of had much respect for Merle, but he was Daryl's brother, and regardless of what had happened in the past, Daryl still loved him.

"Quit being a girl Daryl and listen to me. First of all, back at the house in my closet, there's a box. You need to find it. It's a bunch of letters from Momma…I kept them from you. Wanted her all to myself I guess and it won't fair to ya. She didn't leave ya baby brother…she left him and tried to get us, but he threatened her. Hell of a thing ya know. Find them letters and then find her."

"OK, I can do that."

"Secondly, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all I did to ya. I was wrong about Davia. She is a good girl and you deserve to be happy. Kinda makes me sad I'm checking out and I never found what you seem to have found. You were always the sweet one boy, and I always thought that made you a pussy, but now I think it made you the better man."

Daryl was about to completely break down, and it was wearing him out trying to fight of sobs. Davia gently wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders, avoiding his mid section. She whispered into his ear "You don't have to fight off the tears Daryl. It's OK to let it out."

Daryl took a deep breath and gained his composure. "Merle, I gotta know why you did this to me? You almost killed me man and I don't want to live the rest of my life not knowing why."

"Daryl I was fucked up on Meth, and I was jealous. I don't like to lose and the first time I saw you with Davia I knew I couldn't compete. I tried to convince you she wasn't worthy of you, but that was me trying to convince myself."

"Davia is the best thing that has ever happened to me Merle. She ain't left my side once since we've been here. Merle, I'm falling in love with her."

Davia couldn't believe what she just heard. Here Daryl's world was falling apart and one of the last things he was telling his dying brother was that he was in love with her? No one had ever told her that before, not once and here this beautiful man was telling big bad Merle Dixon he loved her.

Merle's breathing was getting raspy and he was pulling breaths now in between each word he spoke. "Happy for you Daryl, and it ain't the drugs talking anymore. I'm sorry for all the shit in the past, but I can't make it up. And Davia…promise me you will take care of him." Merle's words faded at the end of his sentence and his heart was slowing drastically. Davia and Daryl knew it wouldn't be long.

"I promise Merle. I will take care of him as long as I have breath in my body." She told him. Now she had tears rolling down her cheeks as well. He had been cruel to her and had almost killed the man she cared deeply for, yet she now found herself regretting that he would be gone soon.

Daryl then spoke, "Merle I ain't leaving ya." He said as he reached out and took his brother's good hand into his. Merle was too weak to speak or open his eyes, but he squeezed his younger brother's hand as a form of acknowledgment.

Daryl held onto his brother as he drew his last breath and slipped away. Daryl could no longer hold back the sobs and his body began to shake with the heartbreak of losing Merle. It was a broken relationship at best, but for Daryl, it was the only type he knew. If it wasn't for Davia he wasn't sure what he would do. In that moment Daryl realized he no longer was going to have to meet life's challenges alone. He had admitted out loud that he was falling in love with Davia, and he knew without a doubt at this moment that he was no longer falling, he had fell hard and fast and he wasn't going to let her go.

"I gotta do one thing." He told her.

"What's that Daryl?"

"I need to call our old man and tell him. He at least deserves to know before it's on the news." He told her.

Davia wasn't sure why, but she agreed with him. She found his cell and Carol had his phone number from the visitation register.

Davia helped him dial the number and handed the phone to him. He didn't even know what to say when the voice on the other line answered. What did he call him? Dad?

"Hello"

"Um yeah, Will Dixon?" Daryl said gruffly.

"This is him."

"Yeah, this is your son Daryl. I don't know how to tell you this, but Merle passed a little bit ago. Thought you deserved to know."

Silence. Daryl spoke again. "You there?"

"Yes Daryl. Thank you for calling. Will you let me know what the final arrangements are going to be?"

"Sure. Bye." Daryl said.

"Daryl…Look, I'm sorry. Maybe we can get together and talk." Will told him.

"We'll see" was Daryl's response. At this moment he didn't know up from down and his body was so exhausted he didn't even know how he was putting together coherent sentences.

Davia took the phone from him and gently kissed him on his battered face "We'll get through this Daryl, together I promise."

And she would make sure she kept her promise to Merle to look after Daryl as long as he let her.

**Was it too much? I wanted Merle to leave with a bit of dignity. He did drop quite the bombshell on Daryl about his mother. There is going to be some interesting family dynamics in the next few chapters...**

**Sorry that I killed Merle off, but there is a story twist coming and you will see why I did it...I promise. **

**Anyhow, one more week before Season 5 and I am bouncing off the walls waiting! The reviews have been amazing and the previews on AMC look mind-blowing...So can't wait.**

**Please Please Please leave a review...they are my source of encouragement. I LOVE reading them and I thank each and everyone of you who take the time to do so...the reviews are what get other people to read the stories and they are like great big hugs from all of y'all.**

**Take care my sweeties!**

**Missy XXOO**


	9. Chapter 9

**OK Guys...a little bit of time jumping here. Hope you can follow.**

Will Dixon had been a horrible man. He had performed unspeakable violent acts on both of his sons, but especially the much younger Daryl. Admittedly he was an alcoholic who blamed all of his failures in life on others, especially his wife and boys. After one particularly brutal beating, his wife Nora left fearing for her life. She tried to take the boys with her, but Will threatened to kill them if she tried. She put up a fight, but he was stronger, and meaner, and she left without her most precious assets, knowing he was serious about what he told her.

After she left, he spiraled out of control and he took all of his anger and frustrations out on the smaller son, Daryl. There were a couple of times that he was sure he had killed the boy, but Daryl proved to be a survivor. Merle was completely alienated and stayed gone from the house most of the time, making the young Daryl an easy target. He barely fed the boy, and actually treated the pet dog better.

One morning after he found an unconscious Daryl lying on the kitchen floor a strange reality had come over him. He was a monster and he could no longer live this life. So he took what few belongings he had and left, abandoning Daryl and Merle. Daryl was barely fourteen years old and was being left to fend for his self, but Will figured it was better that way. He had done too much damage and had proven over and over again that he couldn't be trusted around the boy.

He got in his truck and he drove until he found himself in Chattanooga Tennessee parked in front of a small church. He had taken a few drinks, but he wasn't drunk and he made his way inside of the church service. Will slipped in and flopped down on the back row. Ironically the racist man found himself in a full Gospel Pentecostal church with a mixed race congregation. He chuckled to himself about the irony of it all. As the choir sang and an altar call was made he was the first person up at the front of the church, and before he knew it he was on his knees begging God for forgiveness. The tears were flowing and all the remorse of what he had done to his family came pouring out of him in a true confession to God and everyone. As he prayed he felt a pair of strong arms wrap around him and sweet voice praying with him. After he had offered up his apologies to the Lord above, he opened his eyes to find himself face to face with the most beautiful ebony angel he had ever seen. After that moment Will Dixon was a different man. This was how he met his Jacqui, and his life changed forever. Alcohol never touched his lips again, but he still had not found the courage or the strength to face his sons again. God may have forgiven him, but he wasn't sure that his sons ever would.

He and Jacqui were wed six months later, and he quickly embraced her family. She had a tough as nails daughter named Michonne who was a lawyer in Atlanta and Will had grown close with her. Both Jacqui and Michonne knew Will's complete story, including the part about him abandoning his sons, but they never once experienced the monster that Will could become when he drank. As far as they were all concerned, the old Will Dixon was dead. Jacqui had tried encouraging Will to make an effort to reconnect with his sons, but he was just too afraid of hurting his boys again. He felt they were better off without him.

That was until the previous week when Merle's escape from the Fannin county jail made the Regional news. After he found out that Daryl was fighting for his life, Will could no longer avoid checking on his sons, so he and Jacqui made the trip to Blue Ridge. He wasn't sure what he would find, or if he would be allowed to visit, but he had to try.

When he and Jacqui arrived at the hospital they signed the visitor's register and made their way to Daryl's room. He was surprised to find a pretty young woman keeping vigil at his son's bedside. Daryl was asleep, but Will could see what a strapping man he had grown into. The evidence of Merle's beating was clearly displayed on Daryl's bruised body, but Will noted how much Daryl resembled a younger version of him self.

Will made the decision not to divulge who he was to the young woman with his son, and opted for him and Jacqui too simply pray for Daryl and leave. There wasn't any reason to upset Daryl or have an awkward conversation while his youngest boy was fighting for his life. All of the past transgressions that Will had inflicted upon Daryl came rushing back to him, and he fought to keep his emotions in check, but he prayed with all of his might that God would let Daryl survive, heal, and find peace. It had seemed that even though Will had removed him self from Daryl's life to protect his younger son from further pain, that Merle had picked up the torch and was now the one inflicting the pain on Daryl. It saddened Will to realize that the people Daryl should have been able to trust the most in his life were the ones that had hurt him the most. If only he hadn't scared Nora away…maybe Daryl would have been able to know the mother that had loved him so dearly that she once offered to trade her own life to prevent Will from abusing her littlest boy.

After they left the hospital, Will continued to pray for his son's, both of them. He prayed that Merle would change his ways and that Daryl would find happiness. He once again prayed for forgiveness for his past harm that he put his son's through, and he prayed that by some miracle, maybe Nora could re-connect with her sons. He robbed the boys of that relationship, and now regretted what he had done. He would call her himself if he knew how to find her, but he didn't even know if she was still alive. It had been over thirty years since he had heard or seen her.

Surprisingly, Daryl had called a few days later and delivered the earth shattering news that Merle had passed away. The information gutted Will especially knowing that Merle died with his life being in total chaos. The conversation was awkward with Daryl, but he was happy that his youngest son made an attempt to contact him. There was a second call from Daryl's female friend letting Will know when Merle's memorial service would be, and now Will and Jacqui found themselves making plans to travel Blue Ridge to attend the service. Will was holding onto the hope that him and Daryl could talk, and maybe he could offer Daryl an apology and some sense of peace.

…

Daryl was devastated by the death of Merle. He tried hard to keep his heart break in check, but when Carol came in and took his vitals, his blood pressure was through the roof. They were so concerned about his mental state that Dr. S opted to sedate Daryl so that he could rest. Davia was overtly concerned about Daryl and him focusing on healing from his injuries to the point that she was the one that suggested that the Doctor might want to sedate him.

Daryl slept the most part of the day after Merle's passing. Davia was supposed to perform that night at Dale's place, but opted to skip the performance. Right now Daryl needed her more than she needed her paycheck and she didn't want to let him down.

When he awoke later in the day he and Davia discussed having a memorial service for Merle. "Look, he was an asshole, but he was my brother and he should have at least something to honor the good things he did in his life. There weren't many, but there were some. I don't want him being remembered as the escapee who tried to kill his brother." Daryl insisted.

"OK sweetie, I understand. I will help you make the arrangements and if you would like I can sing at his memorial." She told him.

"I'd like that Davia. I know you will do him justice." Daryl answered.

The doctor came in and said that they were looking to release Daryl on Saturday (It was now Thursday) as long as he continued to show improvement and did as he was told. He agreed, as he was eager to get out of the hospital and back home…well at least home to Davia's. Thinking about the house frustrated him knowing he wasn't going to be able to do much as far as working on it went, for at least a month.

Beth and Zach stopped by and Beth brought Davia a dinner that she had prepared as well as yet another change of clothes. Beth had even taken Davia's dirty clothes and washed them and dropped them off at her apartment.

After giving Davia her things, Beth went over and gave Daryl a gentle hug and a sweet kiss on the cheek "I'm so sorry Daryl. I know how hard it is to lose someone close. I lost my momma last year and I still miss her terribly. Zach and I are here for you and Davia and if you need anything, just ask."

He thanked her and gave her tiny hand a squeeze "Thanks…don't know how to thank you and Zach for looking after Davia." He said gruffly.

"I do, when you get better we need to go out on a double date somewhere. Maybe we could all go camping or something. I know Zach would like to go to the woods and get away from Blue Ridge for a weekend." She told him.

Zach piped in "Hell yeah. I'd love to bag a deer and eat some good ole deer steaks."

Beth scrunched up her nose "Your gonna kill a sweet little deer?"

Daryl laughed, he was curious to see how Zach was going to respond to her "Hey, trust me, after I kill it and cook it you will be begging me to kill another."

"Hmph…. Doubt it." Beth said.

By now both Daryl and Davia were laughing at the younger couple. If felt good to actually have a bit of fun for once. It had been a grueling week and Davia was glad to see that Daryl hadn't drawn completely inward.

Zach and Beth stayed until almost nine that night and Daryl had enjoyed talking with Zach. It appeared the two of them had a lot in common and Zach even offered to help Daryl with the house. Zach had grown up working for his father's construction business and was quite skilled when it came to home construction. He explained to Daryl that even though Daryl himself wouldn't be able to do anything physically for at least a month, that he would be more than willing to take over some of the projects Daryl had planned on doing himself. It was truly a kind gesture and Daryl, though apprehensively, accepted the offer.

After they left Daryl turned to Davia "I really like them two."

"I do too Daryl. Beth has always been a sweetheart, and her family was one of the few in this town that treated me kindly. She can sing really well too. I'm actually surprised she hasn't performed at Dale's before." Davia informed Daryl.

"Why don't you ask her too, half them girls up there can't carry a tune in a bucket. The only time Dale sells out the place is when you sing." He told her. Davia's voice was not like any he had heard live before, and the power and emotion she emitted touched your soul when she sang.

"You know, that's a good idea. Heck, I might even ask her to sing with me one night." She replied.

"I'd love to hear that. Bet it will sound good. Just hope you wait and do it when I'm back on my feet again." He told her.

"Of course. Um…Daryl."

"Yeah babe" He responded without thinking.

"Yesterday…Merle mentioned something about your mother, but you haven't said anything about it yet. Do you think what he said was true?"

"Probably. Sounds like something he would do. I have tried really hard not to think about it, but I guess I need to. I will go back to the house and clean out his stuff and see what it there." Daryl told her.

"I can do that while you are recovering." She offered.

"Naw, we will do it together if ya want. I don't really know how to feel. I hardly even remember what she looked like. My old man told me she abandoned us and didn't want us anymore. I had been told so many times that I was a piece of shit I believed that was the reason why she left. If she really was trying to get us, then that changes how I feel about her. I reckon I will try to find her like Merle wanted me too, but I don't know what will happen after that."

"And your Dad?" She asked.

"We'll see. He mentioned he wanted to talk and asked about me letting him know about Merle's service." Daryl told her.

"Well after I make the arrangements tomorrow I will call him myself. That way you can decide if you want to talk to him, maybe after the service."

Daryl let out a sigh. Losing Merle was hard, but he wasn't sure what to feel regarding his father. Had his dad truly changed? The monster that he lived with for fourteen years certainly would have never taken the time to drive from Chattanooga just to pray for him. And Pray? Will Dixon was the biggest 'sinner' Daryl had ever known. He did remember that Hershel was a lot like Will at one point, and look how he had changed. However, if Daryl was ever going to be able to forgive his father, he was going to have to re-live all the pain and abuse in his past. There was a lot of deep-rooted mental pain that Daryl had buried years ago, but those events of his child hood had never completely left him. He carried the scars with him everyday as reminders.

…

The next morning Daryl woke before Davia and he observed her sleeping. She looked tired and he was certain that the interruption to her routine was taking a toll on her physically. He had never had anyone so loyal to him and he appreciated all she had done, but he was concerned for her well being. Davia obviously had some OCD tendencies, and he felt that her being away from her comfort zone had to have an effect on her mentally. He decided he would have a talk with her when she woke up this morning. The last thing he wanted was for her to hold some type of resentment towards him because she had been absent from her comfort zone for such a long period of time.

As she began to stir he smiled. She was beautiful, and watching her stretch and become alert to her surroundings reminded him of a cat after it woke up from a nap. "Morning Daryl" she said sweetly.

"Morning darling. How did ya sleep?" He asked.

"As good as can be expected. I've got a lot to do today. I need to make Merle's arrangements and then I have to perform tonight at Dale's. That means I won't be back here until late. I will take a cab to the hospital since it is a little far to walk that late at night." She told him.

"Wanted to talk to you about that. I want you to go home and sleep in our…your bed tonight. You need the rest. I should be getting out of here tomorrow and I figure you could use the rest. Bet it will feel good to be back in your own surroundings." He told her.

"No Daryl, I don't want to leave you alone. Really, I'm OK with coming back here." She said, almost pleading.

"Look Davia, don't get me wrong, you still are beautiful, but you look worn out. We both know that chair ain't comfortable and I get to sleep in this bed while you sleep all bent up in a recliner. Please do this for me. I'm calling Beth today and going to ask her to pick you up so you don't have to walk home alone in the dark. Please do this for me darling." He said.

"But…"

"Please Davia…for me?" He replied.

She was defeated. He was practically begging her. "You're not mad or tired of me are you Daryl?" She asked seriously.

"Hell no, I just want what is best for you, and you need some good rest. I'm checking out tomorrow and you will probably be so sick of me in a week you are gonna wish I was back here." He told her.

"Never. I'm gonna take good care of you while you recuperate Daryl. I promise that to you here and now. This is somewhat my fault, if Merle hadn't been so jealous none of this would have happened." She told him.

"That's bullshit Davia. Merle wasn't in his right mind, and it wouldn't have mattered if it was you or someone else, he wanted control over me, and he would have reacted the same way if I had hooked up with Glenn or Zach. Merle didn't like to share, and now that he's gone I realize how much of my life he controlled. I think I missed out on a lot, obviously having a relationship with my mother was one of those things. I've got a lot of time to make up for, and now I have you with me to make it that much better." He said optimistically.

"I still can't believe you want me around…no one ever has before." She confessed. It was true. There was still a part of Davia that was waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under her. She struggled to accept the fact that Daryl truly cared for her, he acted like he did, and he said he did, even admitting it to his brother before he passed, but Davia had always had those close to her ripped away. Was Daryl insisting she not stay with him tonight his way of letting her down easy?

"Look, you know if I wasn't laid up here that I would be there with you tonight, front and center. So I tell you what, how bout I talk to Zach and Beth and have them stream your performance to me on my phone? Then when you get home tonight you call me and sing me something sweet so I can sleep? I promise you Davia, I don't want you apart from me, but I'm worried about you collapsing from exhaustion. You've done more for me this week than anyone I know, and it means the world to me." He told her, easing some of her fears.

"Are you sure?" She asked one final time.

"Never been more sure of anything before Davia. You heard what I told Merle…it's true. Ain't never felt this way about anyone. I know we ain't been together for very long, but when you know you know. I was always the first one to doubt people could feel this way, but I finally know what it is like to have your heart feel alive…and you are what makes it feel that way. Look, I almost died and all I could think about was not being able to see you again, and that kept me holding on…because I don't want to be without you. Davia I'm thirty-six years old and I finally know what…well you know…what 'it' feels like."

Davia didn't know how to react. Daryl's admission was so heart felt that she didn't think anything she could say at the moment could match what he just told her. Davia felt the same way as he did, but she sucked at verbalizing her emotions. The night they sat on her balcony and she told him about her past had been the most she had ever shared with anyone else, and it had been difficult for her, but he accepted her, flaws and all. Without thinking Davia went to Daryl and placed a kiss on Daryl's lips. She gently caressed his bruised face "Daryl, I don't know what I'm doing, I've told you that…but I feel the same about you. I don't ever want another moment of my life to go by without you in it. You give me joy."

As gently as he could, be pulled her back into a second kiss, this one more passionate than the first, but just as sweet. "This between us, it's for real. Don't ever doubt it." He said as he laid his head back on the pillow, letting out a breathy sigh.

Davia took a quick shower and then headed across the street to the Doctor. She had mentioned earlier that she was going to visit the gynecologist to have herself put on birth control. The appointment went well and the doctor had prescribed Davia birth control pills, reminding her that she needed to take them for a full month before they would be effective. One month, the timing actually was convenient since Daryl wouldn't be in any condition for lovemaking for at least that amount of time. Davia was pleased with her decision to give herself to Daryl completely, though she was nervous. She knew Daryl had a lot more experience than she did, in fact she would say she had no experience at all. Like Daryl had told her, the one time in High School when she was drugged didn't count as experience. At least now she had a month to figure out what the hell to do, and she now felt she had someone she could talk to about it…Beth. Beth was twenty-two years old and had been with Zach for a while. Davia wasn't sure what the physical aspect of their relationship was, but she suspected that Beth had much more experience than she did.

Davia returned to Daryl's hospital room to find him asleep. Lord knows he needed the rest. Carol dropped in to check on Daryl to take his vitals. "Guess you're gonna be glad to get him home." She said to Davia.

"I am sure he will be more comfortable. I just want to take the best care of him possible." Davia told her.

"We will be sure to get you a list of instructions for you to follow. Abdominal wounds can be tricky, but if he follows the proper protocol he will be fine. If you would like, I could drop by and check on him before my shifts next week." She offered.

"Really, you would do that?" Davia asked, puzzled as to why Carol would take time out of her busy schedule to check on Daryl in particular.

"It wouldn't be a bother. I guess my heart goes out to Daryl for what he has had to endure. I've known Daryl for a long time. We went to school together up until the time he dropped out. I always felt bad for his situation, but he was always nice to me and I appreciated that. He wasn't nice to a lot of people, sort of a loner type, and I can't blame him. He didn't want other people's pity, and because of that he kept to himself. Anyhow…I'm willing if that is OK with you." She said.

"Yeah, sounds good I will give you my address when we check out tomorrow." Davia said, grateful for Carol's offer. Whatever it took to get Daryl healthy again, Davia would accept. Davia had been pretty much a recluse for so long that now having people in her life felt refreshing.

…

Beth and Zach showed up around four in the afternoon to take Davia home so she could get ready to perform. They agreed to stay through the show so that Davia could be delivered home safely. Zach showed Daryl how to stream the performance of Davia's set on Facetime and Davia told Daryl she would be performing at Nine that night.

They had a nice long drawn out kiss and Davia assured him she would be by in the morning to help him make it home.

Home…their home.

…

The first stop was the funeral home where they had Merle's body. Davia made all the necessary plans including picking out a casket and explaining what type of service that would be most appropriate. She didn't know if Daryl had the funds to pay for the funeral, so she flipped out her credit card and paid for everything herself. One advantage to being a recluse is you don't spend that much money and Davia had a large sum saved up. More than enough to cover Merle's final expenses until Daryl was able to pay her back. She had decided a long time ago that she would save every penny she could, because there were no promises that her voice would hold up forever, and if that happened she would need cash to hold her over until she could find another career. She also had her eye on a cute BMW that she wanted if she ever got her driver's license. However, since she met Daryl she was re-thinking the BMW idea, and maybe something a little more fun that they could take up to the mountains one weekend. Of course, she had to learn how to drive first.

On the way to her house Davia chatted with Beth about her possibly performing at Dale's on a regular basis.

"Do you really think he would let me do that? I've never been paid for performing before and I'm not sure I'm good enough Davia. I can't compare to your talent." She said.

"Nonsense Beth, you are a fantastic talent and Dale would love for you to perform. Of course, you would need to audition before he agrees, but once he hears you sing I think it would be a no brainer for him." Davia assure her.

"I would be interested, what would you think Zach?" Beth asked.

"I think between you and Davia you two would sell the place out each night. Bethy you have more than enough talent to keep everyone happy. I say go for it." He told her patting her on the knee.

"OK…If you think so Davia." Beth told her.

Zach and Beth dropped off Davia to let her get ready for her show and agreed to be back around eight. Fortunately the Greene Farm was only a couple of miles away, and Davia's place was not out of the way for them. They had even agreed to take her in the morning and help her get Daryl back to the apartment. Davia was a bit concerned since she had a second floor apartment and Daryl was going to have to climb the stairs. Zach assured her that he would help anyway possible. These two were almost too good to be true.

…

Davia spent the remaining couple of hours practicing her set and getting dressed. Tonight she would have a band backing her up, which meant she could perform some edgier songs than she could when she was performing solo. She had picked out a Florence and the Machine tune to perform, along with a few Christine Aguilera songs, a Led Zepplin song, and one final song for Daryl. She was going to do that one solo. She hoped that her music would cheer him up.

When Beth and Zach arrived to pick her up Zach gave her a hug. "Ms. Davia you look hot."

"Um Thanks Zach. You don't think it's too much?" She asked.

Beth responded "Definitely not…if anything looking like you do will give Daryl incentive to heal up quickly." Beth joked.

Davia had a legendary shoe collection. She had on black lace up boots that had a sky-high heel on them, with jet-black jeans tucked into her boots. She also had on a fitted corset (which took her fifteen minutes to lace up and get on her curves) with a black leather jacket. The outfit was totally outside of what Davia would normally wear, she had purchased it on a whim, but after what Daryl told her earlier, she suddenly felt like she wanted to be sexy for once, and hoped that Daryl would like what he saw. She had her hair somewhat teased and her make-up was dark and vampy. Davia looked like a rock star tonight and hoped people would accept the look, especially since it was on the other end of the spectrum of her normally conservative look.

When they arrived at the bar, Davia was overwhelmed with all the attention she received. People she didn't even know were coming up to her and asking about Daryl and his recovery. She fielded questions such as "did his brother really chop off his own leg?" and "I heard he held a police officer hostage" it was apparent that what happened had been stretched in the story telling over the week. Dale had to usher Davia backstage just so she could catch her breath.

"Davia honey, you look beautiful tonight. Are you up to this?" He asked sincerely.

"Definitely Dale. Thanks for hiring the band." She said to him.

"No, thank you Davia. You are good for business. Did you notice how packed the place was?"

She nodded. "Um Dale, are you looking for any more singers? I think I might have someone in mind who could pack in the crowd." She told him.

"Really, and who would that be?" Dale asked, intrigued by her information.

"Beth Greene. She's actually here with me tonight. I really think you should let her audition." Davia said.

"Is she even over twenty-one Davia? That's Hershel Greene's youngest daughter isn't it?"

"It is Dale. She is really talented and I would be willing to let her split a set with me if you have concerns. Then there isn't a risk on your part. I truly believe in her abilities." Davia said.

"I tell you what, have her come in Monday at noon and I will let her audition. If she is as good as you say she is, I will put her on Thursday and Saturday. We'll see what kind of crowd she draws and if then we can go from there." Dale told her.

"Thanks Dale…I appreciate this. You won't be sorry." She said giving him a hug.

"Now go out there and knock 'em over kiddo." He told her.

Before she started her set Zach met her backstage and the two of them hooked up with Daryl via Facetime on his phone. "You ready sweetheart?" Daryl asked her.

She could see how tired he was. "I am Daryl. You look so tired, did you get enough rest this afternoon?"

"Yeah, Carol has been in here chatting. She has been keeping me company while you are away. It's actually been nice to catch up with her. It's been years since we have talked." He told her.

"Really, she's been with you while I'm gone. That's good." She said. For some reason Carol taking her place bothered her, but she knew she was just being paranoid.

"Well I've got to go Daryl…I hope this works so you can see my performance." She told him.

"It will, I wouldn't miss a thing." He assured her.

She started out her set with a powerful and haunting rendition of Florence and the Machine's "What the Water Gave me" followed up by another one of the groups songs "No Light No Light." Davia's vocals were perfect for the dark and forceful music. She then followed it up with Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" and a duet with one of the male members of the band to the song "Say Something". She performed a few more tunes such as Led Zeppelin's "Thank you" before the band left the stage and she sat down at the piano.

"Daryl…this is for you." She said simply. The crowd erupted into applause as most of them knew what Daryl had been through and knew he was still recovering from his injuries. Daryl Dixon had always lived in his brother's shadow, but the events of the past week had firmly separated Daryl from Merle and Daryl wasn't ever going to be hidden by his brother's antics again.

_**There's a light**_

_**A certain kind of light**_

_**That never shone on me**_

_**I want my life to be lived with you**_

_**Lived with you**_

_**There's a way everybody say**_

_**To do each and every little thing**_

_**But what does it bring**_

_**If I ain't got you, ain't got?**_

_**You don't know what it's like, baby**_

_**You don't know what it's like**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**The way I love you**_

_**In my brain**_

_**I see your face again**_

_**I know my frame of mind**_

_**You ain't got to be so blind**_

_**And I'm blind, so very blind**_

_**I'm a woman, can't you see**_

_**What I am**_

_**I live and I breathe for you**_

_**But what good does it do**_

_**If I ain't got you, ain't got?**_

_**You don't know what it's like, baby**_

_**You don't know what it's like**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**The way I love you**_

_**You don't know what it's like, baby**_

_**You don't know what it's like**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**To love somebody**_

_**The way I love you**_

_**You don't know what it's like, baby**_

_**You don't know what it's like (you don't know what it's like)**_

_**To love somebody**_

It was the Bee Gee's hit from the sixties, "To Love Somebody". The lyrics were fitting and Davia felt every bit of each lyric for Daryl. She hoped he picked up on what she was trying to say in song.

…

Daryl leaned back in his hospital bed and was thankful Zach had made it so he could watch and hear Davia sing. He had been so happy to hear from her after their short separation that he hadn't even taken the time to see how she was dressed. Holy Shit did she look stunning. Davia was normally very conservative in how she presented herself, and Daryl appreciated that. He knew she had a lot of insecurities about her appearance, but this Davia…she looked like a Vixen who was ready to take charge.

Daryl loved all of Davia's imperfections. No, she wasn't a size two, she had curves and meat on her bones, but she was still a very pretty girl. He knew being a performer meant she had to endure a lot of criticism because society had certain standards they were used to for women entertainers, But Damnit, Davia had talent and if people couldn't get past that, then fuck em all. He was in love with her, every bit of her including her imperfections. Those imperfections were one of things that appealed to him the most. He would describe her as perfectly imperfect. He knew he wasn't an easy person to be around, and his past had already come back and reared it's ugly head in the short time they had been together, but Davia hadn't ran from him like a lot of women would of. He truly believed that she was his soul mate, and he had waited a long time to find someone like her. To be honest Daryl didn't think he was ever going to meet someone he could fall in love with, but Davia proved him wrong, and he was thankful.

Daryl watched her performance intently. He was less than thrilled when she sang a duet with a ruggedly handsome guy that was part of the band that Dale hired, but that was only because he wanted Davia all to himself. By no means did Davia look even remotely interested in him.

As she moved through her set he knew it was winding down when she took to her piano. She spoke into the microphone and addressed him directly before she began to perform and old song his mother used to sing to him when he was a very small child. It was one of the very few memories he had of his mom Nora. "To Love Somebody" had more meaning to him than she even knew.

He held onto every word like it was a breath of life, and took the meaning to heart. By the time she was finished Daryl was thankful he was alone and that the phone on the other end was pointed towards Davia, and not being watched by Zach. He had genuine tears in his eyes as the events of the week had finally crashed down on him. He had been almost killed by his brother, lost his brother, found his father and wasn't sure what to do, and had now been told that his mother was still out there, and had been waiting to hear from him for well over thirty years. It was enough to make the strongest man break, but he had one saving grace, and that was Davia. She was his light in the darkness.

…

When Davia came off stage the crowd was begging for an encore, a rarity, and Dale encouraged her to perform one more song. She agreed and went back and played another old song "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell. It was an upbeat song about finding Love, and she felt so good about being with Daryl that she wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

_**Rows and flows of angel hair**_

_**And ice cream castles in the air and feather canyons everywhere**_

_**I've looked at clouds that way**_

_**But now they only block the sun, they rain and they snow on everyone**_

_**So many things I would have done but clouds got in my way**_

_**I've looked at clouds from both sides now**_

_**From up and down and still somehow it's cloud illusions that I recall**_

_**I really don't know clouds at all**_

_**Moons and Junes and ferris wheels**_

_**The dizzy dancing way you feel as every fairy tale comes real**_

_**I've looked at love that way once upon a time**_

But now it's just another show, you leave 'em laughing when you go

_**And if you care don't let them know, know, don't give yourself away**_

_**I've looked at love from both sides now**_

_**From give and take and still somehow it's love's illusions that I recall**_

_**I really don't know what love's about at all**_

_**Tears and fears and feelin' proud**_

_**To say to someone I love you right out loud**_

_**Dreams and schemes and circus crowds**_

_**I've looked at life that way, sometimes I still do**_

_**Now old friends are acting strange**_

_**They shake their heads and they tell me that I have changed, yes I have**_

_**Something's lost but something's gained in livin' every day**_

_**I've looked at love from both sides now**_

_**From up and down and give and take**_

_**From win and lose and still somehow it's love's illusions that I recall**_

_**I really don't know, I really don't know**_

She finally finished her set and Zach met her backstage with his phone still connected to Daryl.

"Yeah Daryl, did every thing come through OK," He asked as he was walking back to Davia.

"Real Good Zach, thanks. Can I talk to my girl now?" He asked.

"Sure thing buddy." He told the older man as he handed the phone to Davia.

"Hey Daryl" She said, she noticed his eyes looked a little red, almost like he had been crying.

"Hey darling, thanks for that. Makes me feel like I could get up and run a marathon. You make me feel good Davia."

"You make me feel the same way Daryl. I can't wait to get you home tomorrow. I will be up there first thing in the morning." She told him.

"Call me one more time tonight when you get home, just so I know you're safe" He told her.

"Honey it's late, are you sure?" She asked.

"Positive" he told her.

…

On her way out a very drunk Shane Walsh cornered her. He had apparently decided to come watch her perform.

"Hey Davia" he slurred.

"Shane…Hi" She said, a bit guarded. She wasn't his biggest fan. He was handsome and had a lot of traits that women would find desirable, but she saw him as a guy looking for another notch on his bedpost. That and the fact that he could barely hide his disdain for Daryl.

"How bout I take you home tonight? You need a real man to take you out, not some stupid white trash Dixon." He said. His words angered her, but she didn't want to make a scene.

"Shane, please don't say that about Daryl. You shouldn't judge someone you don't know. I care for him deeply and it upsets me to hear people say things like that about him."

"Awe come on Davia…I'm just messing. Come on, let me take you home?" He asked in a slightly friendlier term.

"Sorry Shane, I have a ride, but thanks for offering." She said as she turned to quickly find Beth and Zach. The situation was quickly becoming uncomfortable for her and she didn't want to be around him any longer.

She didn't hear him mumble "Stupid bitch doesn't know what a real man would be like. I ain't giving up."

…

When Davia got home she called Daryl and sang him a sweet lullaby until he fell asleep. She realized she needed to finally purchase a cell phone. They could have video chatted if she had one. Her landline at the house wouldn't permit it and Zach proved that having a phone was a nice perk.

He was exhausted, and she knew it. It was going to take a while for him to get his strength back, and she also knew that was going to be the hardest part of his recovery. Daryl was not someone who took to lying around kindly. She decided she was going to have to figure out a way to get him out of the apartment without allowing him to over exert his self. It looked like she was going to need to be creative.

…

The next morning Beth and Zach showed up early to take her to the hospital to bring Daryl home. They were all in the room when Dr. S came in and wanted to examine Daryl one final time. Zach and Beth quickly excused themselves and Davia looked to Daryl to see if she should leave as well. He shook his head "no" and she stayed as the examination began.

The Doc had Daryl lean forward so he could slip his hospital gown down off of his upper torso and place it across Daryl's lap. Daryl was now completely exposed from the waist up and Davia knew this was never a comfortable position for him to be in, but Daryl didn't give away any nervousness.

Slowly, the bandages were unwrapped and Davia had to cover her mouth when she saw the scars that Merle had left behind. There was one very long jagged wound that started at Daryl's right hip, moved across his lower stomach towards his left side, then took a sharp upward turn towards his chest. Between the knife wound and the surgical scars, Daryl would carry the memories of this event for the rest of his life. There were staples holding the wound together across the lower portion of his body and his skin was puckered around each of the metal sutures. The good news was that there was minimal redness and Dr. S looked pleased when he examined the wound.

"These are healing well. I want you to keep an eye out for any increased redness, drainage, or extreme pain. I am sending you home with another round of antibiotics and a topical anesthetic to apply once a day. I am going to remove the bandages but I am going to ask that you get help with getting up and down and with bathing. My suggestion is a shallow bath and then sponge around the wound areas. I don't want them submerged for another two weeks. Davia do you think you can handle helping him out?" He asked.

Davia had turned three shades of red at the mentioning of helping Daryl bathe. Daryl almost looked amused. So much so he answered for her "I'm sure we can figure it out."

Davia had brought Daryl a change of clothes and he slipped on the white T-shirt, some plaid boxers, and track pants she had brought for him because they would be easy to slip on. Not his usual attire, but it was clean, comfortable, and the first real clothes he had worn in a week. She put his socks on him and handed him a pair of slippers. "You didn't have any tennis shoes, so I thought these would be easier to put on instead of your boots, I picked them up downstairs."

"Thanks Davia" he said pulling her gently to him so he could kiss her.

Carol came in with all of the papers for them to sign for Daryl's release, and then assured them she would stop by on Monday to check in on him. The both nodded in appreciation and Carol gave Daryl a hug before they very slowly left the room.

When they got back to Davia's apartment Zach and Davia helped get Daryl up the stairs while Beth carried what few belongings he had brought back with him. Daryl asked if he could convalesce on the couch, since he had been tired of sitting in a bed all week. Davia set the couch up for him and handed him the remote for the TV.

She had made a meal in the crockpot before they left and served everyone a hearty lunch once Daryl was settled in. It was the first real food Daryl had eaten in a week, and he looked like he was in heaven as the tasty chicken casserole hit his lips.

"Davia baby, you can cook." He told her while Beth and Zach nodded in agreement.

Finally, Davia was able to sit with Daryl and feel his body against hers, and just the slightest touch sent tingles throughout her extremities. Daryl was home, and it felt right. They seemed to have found each other, and finally some friends that they seemed to truly enjoy. Even with Merle's funeral tomorrow looming over them, Daryl looked more content than he ever had to her, and she was slowly beginning to accept that she might finally be happy one day.

Love is an amazing thing.

**OK...the S5 premier was brilliant, and after watching it I know my story can't even remotely compare. The last five minutes had me in tears...**

**I have a lot planned in the next chapter, including Merle's memorial (tissues please) and Daryl will meet with his father. It's going to be emotional. I've also got a big surprise from Merle that will be popping up in the next chapter as well. So hold on and enjoy the ride.**

**I am so happy that everyone seems to be enjoying this story. I have had some really incredible reviews and I am begging you to leave them for me, and any suggestions you might have. Davia is probably around a size 14/16...not huge, but by no means thin. I am going to delve into her weight issues sometime soon...and trust me, I know what it's like to struggle with your weight. If you wanna hear my story, feel free to ask, but I won't share it here because it is too long of a story.**

**Take care y'all and leave me some lovely messages.**

**Ciao sweeties!**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	10. Chapter 10

**For your Sunday Pre-TWD reading pleasure...**

Beth and Zach left just after they ate lunch and finally Daryl and Davia had some privacy. It was the first time they had been completely alone since the attack. Daryl was lightly dozing on the couch with Davia sitting behind him gently running her hands through his hair.

"Mmmm that feels good Davia." He told her not opening his eyes.

"I have missed having you close" she told him.

"I need a bath bad though darling" he told her, almost grinning.

Davia didn't respond immediately. "Daryl, I've never seen a man…Naked before." She told him.

He chuckled lightly. "Does it scare or bother you? If so we can work around it." He told her.

Davia took a breath "No, I guess I need to grow up and be an adult. Heck, If we are ever going to have sex then I need to get over my fear." She said, blushing as she commented.

"Ok then, let's do this," he said, maybe a little too enthusiastically. Normally Daryl would have been the first person to cringe at someone seeing him fully naked, but Davia was different. She knew about his scars, and for the most part he had told her about his struggles throughout his thirty-six years. She was the first person he had EVER opened up too. There was also the fact that he wanted to have sex with her, badly. He was going to enjoy this, but he would try "hard" not to scare her away as she helped him bathe.

After Davia helped Daryl get up off the couch they headed slowly into the bathroom. The burning and pulling of the stitches made Daryl wince in pain, but he soldiered through. If he was going to get back to normal he was going to have to make an effort to start getting around on his own.

Davia sighed and finally turned on the faucet to begin to fill the tub. She helped Daryl get undressed but stopped before he pulled of his boxer shorts. "Here, wrap this around your waist so you can have some modesty." She said.

Daryl did as she asked and placed the towel around his waist as he slipped off his boxer shorts underneath. "You know this towel is coming off as soon as I hit the water." He told her.

"Yeah, I know…I'm mentally preparing myself for that. I know, I'm a prude." She said, giggling nervously.

"Hey, It's OK Davia, take a deep breath, it's just me and you. Just relax and we can get through this." He told her, trying to calm her apprehension.

Davia helped Daryl get into the tub. She noticed his face looked pained as he stepped over the edge and began to slowly slide down into the shallow water. Daryl finally pulled off the towel, quickly as if ripping off a bandage and Boom! He was now sitting in the water fully exposed. Out of habit Davia closed her eyes.

"Look Davia, I know all these wounds aren't pretty to look at, but you can at least open up your eyes. Ain't nothing gonna bite you sweetheart." He said in an attempt to create some humor and get her a little more comfortable with the situation.

"OK" she said as her lids slowly opened and she took in Daryl's naked body in front of her. Her hands shook, but she quickly got her breathing under control. He gently took her hands and brought them to his lips, kissing them gently.

"Hold on one second." She said as she left the bathroom. Daryl thought maybe she was freaking out, but she returned wearing a pair of gray shorts and a white T-shirt.

"Can you lean forward?" She asked. He nodded and to his surprise she got in the tub (fully clothed) and dropped down behind him. She pulled his bare back up against her and then turned on the water and began to fill a pitcher with water.

"Just lay your head back Daryl and I will wash your hair." She told him.

He did as she told him and he could feel the warm water being poured over his head wetting his hair. It was he this time that closed his eyes and relished in the feeling of her hands working the lather of the shampoo through his hair, and she began to massage his scalp as she washed him.

"Mmmm" He said out loud.

"Does that feel good Daryl? I want it to feel good for you, Lord knows you deserve it" She told him, sounding much more relaxed. The warm water cascading off his shoulders just added to his relaxation. Even though Davia was fully clothed, her clothes were soaked to her body and he could feel her hardened nipples against his back. If he didn't hurt so damn much he probably would have had an erection by now, and with him being completely naked in front of her there wouldn't have been any hiding it.

"Feels good Davia. You feel good too." He told her still not opening his eyes as her fingertips were working magic on his scalp.

For Davia, this was completely out of her comfort zone, but it felt good to make Daryl feel somewhat better. She gently rinsed the shampoo from Daryl's hair and picked up a sponge and gently began to wash his back for him. He let out another soft moan and she smiled knowing she was responsible for that slight pleasure he was experiencing.

"Ok Daryl, I'm going to change positions and kneel in front of you so I can wash around your incision." She said, knowing that it meant she would also be just a few inches away from his manhood. Now she had a dilemma…should she also wash "that"?

Daryl had to fight hard to hold back a smirk. The idea of a soaking wet Davia kneeling in front of him sent his mind racing into many different scenarios, most of which secretly ended with her beneath him naked. What was wrong with him? He could barely walk without agonizing pain, yet he still was having strong sexual urges. Yeah, he had it bad for Davia and he wouldn't even attempt to deny it.

Now Davia was gently washing Daryl's chest, almost sensually running the wet sponge across his broad shoulders, collar bone, and his nipples. Though she noticed his old scars that he had shown her a few weeks earlier, she didn't feel the need to dwell on them. They were part of what made Daryl who he was and she admired him for being able to prevail over such a traumatic childhood.

"Um Daryl…I'm going to hand you the sponge and let you wash your…you know…" She said turning about five shades of red.

Daryl nodded and Davia stood up in the tub, water pouring off of her body. She allowed Daryl some privacy as he finished washing his nether regions and quickly went to grab him a clean towel. "I will be right back, I'm going to get you some more clean clothes." She told him.

She found a pair of his pajama bottoms and a T-shirt and boxers for him to put on. She brought them into the bathroom and laid them up on the counter.

"OK Daryl, are you ready to attempt to get out of the tub?" She asked.

"Yeah…let's do this," he said enthusiastically.

Davia stepped into the tub so she was standing in front of Daryl. He placed his hands on either side of the tub and she kneeled down so she had her hands were up under his arms. On the count of three he began to slowly push himself up and she lifted to take the stress off his abdomen. The next thing she knew he was standing fully naked pressed up against her wet body and she could feel his manly blessing pressed up against her navel. She looked into his eyes to see if he was embarrassed, but instead she saw a man full of want and desire…and frustration knowing there wasn't anything he could physically do about it. Without thinking Davia stepped up on her toes and placed her lips to his. Quickly the chaste kiss became enraptured in want and lust and she parted her lips to allow his tongue to taste her. The chemistry between the two was undeniable and she felt like every part of her body was on fire. Her stomach was fluttering and she swore she felt tingling in her most intimate of parts. Instead of being nervous and afraid of Daryl's naked form, she was regretting that he wasn't able to pursue her in a more physical manner. Yeah, she wanted him bad.

They broke apart without a word and she carefully dried him with the towel and then helped him slip into his clothes. She then helped him get settled back onto the couch and turned the TV on for him. "I'm going to need to leave about eight tonight to go to Dale's to perform tonight." She reminded him.

"Damnit. I forgot. I will drive you." He told her.

"That isn't going to happen Daryl, and you know it. I will call a cab." She said. She hadn't even made her way to the phone when Daryl's cell phone rang.

"Hello" he said as he answered the phone.

It was Zach and he told Daryl that Beth had mentioned that Davia was performing again that night and she would most likely need a ride to Dale's. He told her that Beth wanted to go with Davia and hang out while he offered to come hang out with Daryl. Daryl took an internal sigh of relief knowing his dilemma of getting Davia to and from work was being answered. He gladly accepted and then hung up the phone.

"Beth is going to come get you and Zach's gonna hang out with me while you are at work. Those two are a fucking Godsend." Daryl told Davia.

"Well I don't have to be anywhere for a few hours, so let's just enjoy some time alone together." She told him.

Daryl was settled on the couch and Davia carefully maneuvered herself on the couch beside him. She wanted to grab him up and wrap herself around him, but knew she would probably end up killing him if she did, so instead she draped her legs over his legs, rested her head on his shoulder and took his hands in hers.

Daryl began to speak "tomorrow's gonna be hard for me Davia, I ain't gonna lie." He told her.

"I know, but everything is taken care of, so you don't have to worry about anything." She replied.

"When do I need to pay? I know funerals ain't cheap." He questioned her.

"I took care of it Daryl." She assured him.

"No, that ain't right. I got some money and I will get it to ya Monday, Davia why didn't you say anything? I just assumed they would bill me." He told her.

"No, they don't do that for funerals…they don't want to risk you not paying. It's expensive to dig up bodies." She said, trying to make a joke. Then she thought about it and realized it probably wasn't that funny all things considered.

However, Daryl did laugh "I didn't think about that. I will get you the money on Monday though. Ain't no need to draw your bank account down." He told her.

"Daryl, just hold onto your money right now. You are going to be drawing a reduced salary for the next couple of months and I put it on my credit card. You can pay it off in monthly payments until you are up on your feet financially and can pay off the balance. I don't mind, I hardly use the thing." She told him.

"You sure? I don't want you stuck in a financial hardship."

"I'm sure Daryl. Now stop worrying or you are gonna give yourself a heart attack. I found a pair of black slacks in your clothes and a black button up shirt. I am going to wash and press them for you to wear. Unfortunately the clothes you wore to Glenn and Maggie's wedding weren't repairable." She told him.

"Baby girl, please don't put yourself out on my account. I ain't worth it." He told her holding her gaze.

"You are worth it, and so much more Daryl."

"You know that list you gave me? Do you remember what the last thing on the list was?" He asked her.

She thought back about the things she wrote down

_**Go to the beach and watch a sunset.**_

_**Drink until I am drunk**_

_**Have a pet**_

_**Sing at the Grand Ole Opry**_

_**Zip Line**_

_**Take a cooking class**_

_**Volunteer at the homeless shelter**_

_**Travel**_

_**Learn to knit**_

_**Fall in love with someone and have that person love me back.**_

"Yes, I remember it Daryl. Why?" She asked.

"Cross number ten off the list, at least the part about someone loving you back. Davia Longstreet, I love you. I ain't never been in love before, but I know with every part of me that I love you deeply and completely. I hope one day soon you feel the same." He confessed.

"Oh Daryl…it won't be one day soon, it's NOW. I love you so much it hurts. I can't even put it into words how much I love you." She told him as tears came to her eyes. No one had ever told her that before, and now she was at a loss for words to tell Daryl just how much he meant to her.

She picked up his hand and began peppering it with kisses, then she began to kiss his cheeks, neck, forehead, and any other part of him she could touch without hurting him. Daryl couldn't help but grin at her sweetness.

"Honey you are gonna start something that I can't finish if you don't stop. Speaking of, how did it go at the doctor yesterday?"

"It went well. I have a prescription for birth control pills now and I will start them after my next cycle. It takes a month for the pills to be fully effective." She said, slightly embarrassed to speak of such things to Daryl.

"Well the timing lines up then, because I ain't gonna be worth a shit when it comes to Sex for at least that long." He told her.

"Daryl, have you been with many women?" She asked.

He gave her a baffled look "Why do you ask? I promise you I always wore a condom and I ain't got no diseases if that is what you are asking? Learned from Merle to wrap it up before you fucked…um, were with someone like that. Also got tested a few months ago when I got a physical." He told her.

"No…that wasn't what I was asking, though it's good to hear. I meant, you have a lot more experience than I do, and all I really know about sex is what I read. I hope you aren't going to be disappointed." She confessed to him.

"Why would I be disappointed? I know you don't have experience, which means we will learn together. I would hardly call what I did with other women as decent sex. I didn't really care if they got off or not, because it was all about me. If they were offering it, and I was drunk enough, then I would oblige. When we are finally together, I want you to enjoy it. Trust me, I got a lot to learn too." He admitted to her.

"Daryl, I've never had an orgasm. I don't even know if I can. I tried to…never mind." She said blushing.

"You tried to what Davia? Touch yourself?" He asked wanting to know what she said.

"Yes, but I couldn't get into it. All I did was think about how disgusting my body was. I always imagined sex as this beautiful experience between two people, and then when I imagined myself with anyone, I picture them being repulsed by me." She told him.

"I ain't even remotely repulsed by you Davia. You turn me on like crazy. I thought you would think the same thing about me. These scars I got aren't exactly sexy. I've never had sex with anyone with my shirt off. Hell, usually I just unzip my fly and have at it. Now does that sound like a good time to you?" He asked her.

"No, it actually sounds kind of mechanical. So with what you just told me does that mean it will be different for you because you are in love with me?" She asked.

"Oh yeah, definitely different. I want it to be perfect, but I ain't gonna lie, it can be awkward. My first time was a joke." He told her.

"Why was that?" She inquired.

"I was sixteen and didn't have a clue what I was doing. To use the words 'fumbling around' is an understatement. When it was over she wanted to 'cuddle' and I wanted to run. I was mortified about the whole thing. After that it only happened if I was drunk. It ain't gonna be like that with us. I want to be sober and I want it to last and then hold you in my arms afterwards." He informed her.

"That would be nice. But Daryl, look at me, won't you be embarrassed to admit you were intimate with me?" She asked him honestly.

"Hell no, Davia your beautiful, sweet, smart, and talented. I feel like I hit the lottery with you. You ain't gotta worry about me doing you wrong or not wanting to be with you. I'm proud to be with you."

"I love you" she said simply and meant it.

…

Beth and Zach showed up around eight and Zach brought a Pizza and beer, knowing Beth would be driving him home later. Daryl had to break the news to him that he couldn't drink the beer because of the pain meds he was taking, but encouraged Zach to drink up. Before the girls left the two men had already started talking about Daryl's house and what needed to be done to get it into a livable condition.

Davia gave Daryl a quick kiss and he grabbed her hand "Hurry home" He told her as she and Beth left for the bar. On the way over to the bar Beth began chatting. "You and Daryl have something special. We can all see it. I had always been afraid of the Dixon brother's…but knowing Daryl has proven me wrong. I think Merle overshadowed him so much people never really saw Daryl for who he was."

"Beth, he is so incredible and caring…I feel like I am addicted to him." She admitted to the younger girl.

"Doesn't that feel good? That's how I feel about Zach. He treats me like his whole world revolves around me and he always puts me first. When we are together alone it's electric." Beth told Davia.

"Beth, can I ask you a personal question? Are you and Zach…intimate?"

Beth giggled when she noticed Davia's face turned red "Well we have been dating for two years Davia. Yeah, we are, please don't say anything to Daddy. He still has a vision of me getting married and still being a Virgin. He knew Maggie had no shot of achieving that, , but I'm his baby girl, and he still holds onto that fantasy."

"Oh, I would never say anything to Hershel, it's not my place. I just need someone to talk to about these things. Beth, I have a million questions, I've never been with someone." She didn't bring up the fact that technically she wasn't still a virgin just because of the fact it was too long of a story to tell.

"Really? I would of thought someone as pretty and talented as you would have had a few relationships." Beth admitted.

"Beth you are sweet, but I am by far not pretty. Men don't find someone like me attractive, which is why I am so surprised that someone as ruggedly handsome as Daryl is seems to like me. In fact, he told me he loves me."

"Do you love him back?" Beth asked.

"Yes I do, and I told him that tonight before you guys showed up. We talked about sex and he knows I don't have any experience. I was hoping you might be able to give me some pointers." Davia said in an almost pleading tone.

"Well the first thing I can tell you is if you are nervous the first time and tense up, it will make it painful. Just relax and don't think about it…let it be natural. Daryl will know what to do and he will guide you through everything." Beth told her.

"But what do I do after he penetrates me?" She asked, whispering the last part.

"Well you might feel some friction and some pressure…the muscles will stretch, but if you are calm and into the moment your body will produce natural lubrication. If you are relaxed it will start to feel good, and you should move with him. Start to develop a rhythm together and the next thing you know you will be wanting him to press up against certain places…like your 'you know' on the outside." Beth told her, this time she was the one getting embarrassed.

"Oh!" Davia said.

"Yeah, that is the magic spot. When he is inside of you and rubbing on the outside, there isn't anything that feels better. Out of instinct you will start moving your hips to have him keep rubbing you 'there'…the next thing you know you start to lose yourself and you want that feeling to keep going on and on. Then there is a buildup that feels like electricity shooting through your body. That is the part that makes you want to do it over and over again." Beth told her.

"God Beth, you make it sound so amazing." Davia said.

"Because it is. I once had a friend tell me 'sex is like sugar candy, once you get a taste you want more and more.' And she was right. But if you don't have an orgasm the first time, don't be discouraged. Most people don't, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't feel good. It took me a couple of times to get there, but when I did…Oh my." Beth told her, laughing now.

"Thanks Beth. I am glad I finally have someone to talk to about it. I just don't want to do the wrong thing."

"You can't do the wrong thing Davia, just do what makes you feel good, and Daryl will react to your needs. People have been doing this for thousands and thousands of years, it's one of the most natural things we can do." Beth assured her.

The two girls continued to chat about their men, and Beth's audition on Monday. Beth was nervous but Davia assured her that she would do fine. Beth had a soft folksy sound to her voice and it would be a nice contrast to Davia's bluesy-rock voice. Honestly they were divergent in their singing styles, but the few times they had performed together sounded incredible. The mixture of their voices played well with each other.

Right before Davia was about to hit the stage she looked out into the sold-out audience and her heart hit her stomach. None other than Lori Grimes was sitting close to the stage with Shane Walsh. Nightmares from her past came flooding back and Davia had to stop and catch her breath before she nervously made her way to the stage. She knew Shane was Rick's partner, but what she couldn't understand was why the two of them were here at the bar…together and without Rick. Lori never had any love for Davia, so that baffled her even more.

Davia pulled it together and delivered a strong performance. Beth met her back stage and gave her a hug. "Davia you always amaze me at how well you perform. You leave all of yourself out there when you perform and the results are almost hypnotic."

"Thanks sweetie, next week it will be you doing the same thing. I have every confidence that you will do as well as me, if not better." She said hugging the younger girl back.

Their hug was interrupted by the clearing of a throat and they both turned around to see Shane and Lori standing there looking pensive.

Lori spoke first "Hi Davia it's been a long time. Rick is working tonight and Shane wanted to get me out of the house and when I heard you were performing I told him I wanted to come see you." She seemed genuinely happy to see Davia, but something didn't feel right.

Shane then spoke "Yeah Lori, I've been trying to convince Ms. Longstreet to go out with me for dinner, but my charms don't seem to be working on her."

Davia then spoke "Lori it's good to see you" it was a lie "and Shane, as flattered as I am that you are interested, I am already in a relationship." She said politely. Beth was still standing there taking in the awkward banter.

"Oh Davia, I'm so happy for you. Who are you seeing?" Lori inquired sweetly. Almost too sweetly.

"Daryl Dixon, I thought everyone knew that, I know Rick did since he was working Merle's case. Did he not mention it?" Davia said, knowing damn well that Rick most likely had said something.

"No…we try not to talk about his work at home. So you are seeing Daryl Dixon? He's so…well let's just say I can't picture you two together, but I'm happy if you are happy."

"We are very happy together. Daryl's a good man." Davia said.

"I can see how happy he makes you. Normally I would picture him with someone 'different' then you. Men like that seem to like the girls who look like sleazy models, I'm impressed he seems to be interested in a girl with some meat on her bones. Maybe there is more to him than I thought. I know Shane seems to be taken with you as well. There's nothing wrong with being a chubby girl." Lori said, the backhanded compliment not being missed by Davia.

Beth caught it too "Davia has curves, and a lot of men find that sexy. I would give anything to look like her, she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever met, and her and Daryl are so in love you can't miss it when the two of them are together. I'm confused though Lori, why are you out with Rick's partner?" God Davia loved Beth.

"Oh, well we are good friends and he worries about me going crazy since I'm pregnant and I can't get out like I used too." Lori replied. Both Davia and Beth caught a glance that Shane gave Lori when she mentioned the baby. Something was off but they couldn't quite put their finger on it.

The awkward exchange ended with Shane and Lori heading out so she could get home and get some rest. Beth and Davia headed to Beth's car when Davia remembered she left her jacket behind. Hold on one second Bethy, I have to get my jacket. She ran back into the bar to the little makeshift dressing room and grabbed her jacket. As she hit the door to leave Shane was standing there waiting for her. "Where's Lori?" Davia asked.

"Ladies room, apparently being pregnant she has to pee all the time. Look Davia, I want you to understand how much I really want to take you out. You are letting that stupid redneck cloud your mind. You're smarter than that, I know you are." He said in a slightly pleading voice.

"He isn't clouding my mind Shane, I truly have feelings for him."

"I won't and can't accept that you would choose him over me. Davia, I have so much more to offer and it would stop all the whispers around town regarding you and him. Daryl has a reputation for loving and leaving his women, and the women he has been with are nothing like you. Don't get me wrong, you're an attractive girl, but you aren't his type. Face it Davia, he's going to dump you once he gets what he wants from you." Shane said.

"STOP IT SHANE, he isn't like that. He's had his chance to run, and he hasn't. If you don't stop doing this I'm going to have to put my foot down. Now leave me be." She said rushing past him. He grabbed her arm, a bit more forceful than needed and got in her face.

"It ain't over Davia. I get what I want, and if you would get that piece of shit out of your head you would see I am a decent guy. You are making a fucking huge mistake." He said with his teeth gritted. Fortunately for Davia, Dale had walked in on the tail end of the conversation.

"Is everything OK here?" He said, sensing the tension.

"Fine Dale, I'm on my way out." Davia said in a flustered voice. When Davia left Dale turned to Shane "I don't know what your game is here Shane, but that girl needs you to leave her the hell alone. I know all about what is going on with you and Lori and I know that Rick doesn't have a clue that her baby might be yours. Using Davia as a front to hide your transgressions isn't going to work. Leave her and Daryl alone or I will make you sorry." Dale said in a very serious tone.

"Don't threaten me Dale…not unless you want trouble. Do you get what I'm telling you? Now if you will excuse me I need to take Mrs. Grimes home to her husband and her son." He said angrily. Dale knew he had hit the nail on the head with what was really going on, and he wasn't going to let a scum bag like Shane Walsh deny Davia the happiness she deserved.

…

Davia and Beth discussed the interaction with Shane and Lori in detail on the way back to Davia's apartment. They both came to the same conclusion that they thought there was more to Shane and Lori's relationship than just friendship. The way that Shane looked at Lori when she mentioned the baby made them both wonder if the baby could possibly be Shane's. "It makes sense." Beth said.

"Yeah, but would Shane really do that to his best friend? I mean I've known Lori for a long time, and I wouldn't put it past her, but Shane really seems to love Rick like a brother." Davia told Beth.

"Well Shane also strikes me as the type that wants what other's have. Which is why you have to be careful around him. I don't trust him one bit and I wouldn't put anything past him regarding you and Daryl. Keep your eyes open when he is around and you need to tell Daryl what is going on as well." Beth told her.

"No, I don't want to upset him. I can handle it without getting Daryl involved." Davia told Beth.

"Please listen to me Davia, you don't want to start off your relationship keeping secrets. It will eat you up if you don't. Tell him…tonight. Daryl might get pissed, but at least he will know to keep an eye out for Shane." Beth implored.

"You're right Beth. I will tell him tonight after you and Zach leave. It's only fair that he knows. I just know he isn't going to like it." She replied.

"And he should be mad…Shane was out of bounds." Beth said. It was weird, though Beth was younger than Davia she seemed to have much more wisdom about things than her older friend. For Davia, it was good to have Beth in her corner.

…

When they got home Beth helped a very drunk Zach up off the couch. He stood shakily and turned to Daryl "Man, It's been a pleasure" and then he turned and gave Davia a soft kiss on the cheek. "Until we meet again" He said.

Davia was trying to hold back a laugh and Beth just rolled her eyes "Come along Zachary, I have to get you home." She said as she led him out of the apartment to her car.

Davia took one look at Daryl and could tell he was exhausted. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Tired, but glad to be home. That Zach can talk, but he's alright in my book." Daryl told her.

"Yeah, Beth too. I'm glad we found them. Look there's something I need to talk to you about." She said as she pulled off her jacket to sit down beside him. Before she even had a chance to get the words out Daryl grabbed her wrist when he noticed the bruises on her arm.

"What the hell Davia? Who did this to you?" He said becoming visibly angry. The coldness in his eyes scared Davia and she quickly pulled her arm away from him.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. There was an incident tonight after my set." She told him.

"What the fuck happened? I'm about to get my ass off this couch and kill some mother fucker." He said, seething.

"It was Shane Walsh. He grabbed my arm to get my attention and I don't think he realized how rough he was." She replied.

"Why the fuck did he touch you? I swear I'm gonna kill that bastard where he stands." Daryl said trying to get up off the couch. Unfortunately his bravado was stronger than he was at the moment and when he tried to stand up his legs wobbled and the room spun, and Davia caught him before he fell face first into the coffee table.

"Whoa Daryl. Now just calm the heck down. Listen to what I have to say first before you get yourself killed without even making it out of the apartment." She said firmly, slightly ticked that he wouldn't let her speak.

"Fine, let's start with Shane laying his hands on you. The stupid Prick…"

"Will you stop and listen to me for a minute? Him and Lori, Rick's wife, were at the show tonight. They came by after and Lori managed to get in a few snide remarks about my weight, and about me seeing you. Fortunately Beth was there and put Lori in her place. When we got to the car I realized I left my jacket, and when I went to get it Shane confronted me about not going out with him."

"Wait, he asked you out? He knows you're my woman." Daryl said. Davia's heart fluttered a little when Daryl made the proclamation, but she didn't want him to go off on a tangent again.

"Anyhow I told him to leave me alone and that I was happy with you…he said some not so nice things about you and he swears you are going to use me and leave me."

"Mother Fucker, I ain't gonna do no such thing…"Davia placed a finger up to get him to stop speaking.

"Dale heard Shane and came and rescued me. I left and I'm not sure what happened after that. That being said, Beth and I think something is going on with Shane and Lori and Shane wants to use me as an excuse to keep Rick off his trail. I bet you anything that Lori doesn't know who the baby's daddy is. Lori has always been a conniving bitch." Davia said.

"Man that is totally fucked up. Rick is a decent guy and if his so called best friend is doing that to him behind his back it shows me Walsh is an even bigger douche than I thought."

"Exactly. That being said, Shane is still a cop and nothing would give him greater pleasure than to arrest you for assaulting an officer. You need to keep calm and ignore his taunts Daryl. I mean it. I don't want to waste money on bail when you have a new home to work on. Let's keep our priorities straight." Davia said practically shouting.

Daryl began to laugh, breaking the tension that had built between them "Why Davia Longstreet, I didn't know ya had it in ya. That's my girl." He said making reference to her angered outburst.

"Stop picking Daryl, I'm serious. I don't want you away from me for one second, and I don't want Shane Walsh thinking he beat you at anything." She told him.

Daryl took his hands and rubbed them across his face, knowing Davia had defeated him. "Fine, but if he so much as looks at you funny, I want you to report him or tell me. Got it?" He asked.

"Got it. Now let's go to bed you can barely hold your eyes open and we have a big day tomorrow." She said. She helped him get up off the couch and he eased himself into the bed while she turned on the late news. She slipped into the bathroom and changed into her sleeping clothes and then eased herself into the bed beside Daryl, being careful of his incisions.

"I want ya up against me Davia, these don't hurt as much as I do when you aren't in my arms." He said as he wrapped himself around her. They shifted around a bit to find a position he was comfortable in and then watched the rest of the news. Finally both of them slipped into a deep and relaxing sleep for the first time in over a week.

…

Daryl woke up the next morning in a somber mood. Today would be the day that they laid Merle to rest. The finality of it all weighed heavily on him, but he didn't want to burden Davia with his grief. Merle had been the only real constant in his life and now that was gone. Add in the fact that his father most likely would be at the service today was also causing Daryl a bit of concern. He had not seen his father since he was fourteen years old, and the last time he had seen the man face to face he had given him a beating so brutal that it left Daryl unconscious on the kitchen floor. For days after that beating Daryl waited in fear for the man to return from a drunken binge, but it never happened. After a month he and Merle decided that Will Dixon was either dead or had finally done them a favor and abandoned them.

Davia had done as she said and had Daryl's clothes washed and pressed and laid out for him to wear. She herself had opted to wear a sapphire blue dress with matching shoes. She had once again helped Daryl bathe, this time she was a little more relaxed and didn't seem to be nervous when Daryl was in front of her in all his naked glory. She attributed it to the fact that were getting ready for his brother's funeral and there wasn't anything sexual about preparing for a funeral.

Daryl had insisted that he would drive them, so he opted not to take any pain medication that morning. He had become a master of pushing pain down both physical and mental his entire life, so getting through a few hours for his brother's memorial service didn't seem like much of a challenge to him.

To be honest, Daryl wasn't sure if many people would even show up. When they arrived at the funeral home the funeral director introduced himself to Daryl and explained how the celebration of Merle's life would happen. Merle was by no means a hero, but he did have his good points. Since Merle was a war veteran, a military color guard was provided. Daryl was surprised, but pleased that something of Merle's good deeds would be brought out during the memorial.

Then the funeral director spoke "Would you like to visit with the body before we open up the service to everyone else?"

Daryl nodded and Davia agreed to go with him so he could say his last private goodbye to his brother. They walked together hand in hand to Merle's open casket and Daryl smiled. Merle was wearing his military dress uniform and he looked down right heroic. Daryl wasn't a fool, Merle was by far no hero in his later years, but during his military service he served the country proudly and sacrificed his sanity to defend his country and help out individuals in a fucked up war that he had no part of. Merle never once spoke of what it was that had damaged him so deep mentally, but Daryl knew that for it to have such an effect on his brother, it had to have been horrific. Merle was the toughest son-of-a-bitch he knew, and there was a part of Daryl that wished that just that one time Merle would have reached out to others for help. Maybe if he had, he wouldn't have gone down the path he did when he returned to Blue Ridge to care for Daryl all those years ago.

Daryl couldn't fight the tears that slipped down his rugged face. He and Merle would never have the opportunity to hunt together again. There wouldn't be any more bailing Merle out of a wayward bar fight or the "world as Merle saw it" conversations. There wasn't any more Merle Dixon. Just some fucked up memories of a life cut way too short.

The tears gave way to sobs and Daryl felt hands on his shoulders and he turned into arms of Davia…only it wasn't Davia. He opened his eyes long enough to see it was Will Dixon offering comfort to his youngest son. For a moment Daryl held onto his father with all his might, but then the memories of everything Will had done to him in the past came flooding back and Daryl pushed the old man away. Without a word he stormed out of the room and took off out the front door of the funeral home.

Davia sat there with her mouth open at what just happened. Will had slipped in unnoticed and had she been more aware of her surroundings and less focused on Daryl's grief she wouldn't have let the older man approach his son.

"No offense Mr. Dixon, but you had no right, not at this point." She said in a direct tone.

"I'm sorry Ma'am…It's just I saw him there grieving and I wanted to comfort my boy. Lord knows I owe him that." He said in earnest.

"I'm Davia, Davia Longstreet and I'm Daryl's girlfriend" She said, using the term for the first time. Girlfriend seemed so insignificant compared to what they felt for each other, but for now, it was the best she had to offer the man.

"Pleased to meet you Ms. Longstreet. If you don't mind, I would like to go speak with Daryl. I promise not to upset him. My wife Jacqui is out in the main lobby waiting with the other guests to offer their condolences." He told Davia.

"You can try, but PLEASE don't push him. He just got out of the hospital yesterday and this is a very difficult day for him." She said pleading to the man.

"I understand. The last thing I want to do is cause Daryl anymore hurt than I already have." Will told her.

He excused himself and found Daryl tucked along the side of the funeral home smoking a cigarette. Will approached him cautiously.

"Daryl, I'm sorry if I upset you." He said in a gentle voice. This was not the same monster Daryl had seen twenty-two years earlier. Daryl took in his father's appearance. His face was worn and his hands looked knotted with arthritis and Will no longer stood tall, but was slightly hunched. He appeared much smaller than Daryl last remembered him.

"You don't get to do this here. You can't make all the shit you did in the past go away in five minutes. I'm sorry, but we can't have this conversation right now." Daryl told him.

"I understand Daryl, and I apologize for getting you riled up. You are right, and I don't deserve your kindness or your time. I just wanted to say Thank You for allowing me to attend Merle's service. He looks real good in that uniform. If you want to talk, I'm in town for a few days and I would love to take you and Davia to dinner, just to catch up, nothing more." Will told him.

Daryl's mind was going in a million different directions, and right now he needed to focus on Merle. So much pain and misery had been placed on Daryl at the hands of this man and he just couldn't let it go, at least right now.

"Fine, I appreciate your sincerity and all, but you know what you put me through when I was younger, and I can't get over it just like that. You wanna talk? Meet me tomorrow at Merle's place and help me clear it out. I got a lot of questions for ya and I don't want no bullshit answers. It's been a hell of week, one of the worse of my life and I ain't got no patience for folks trying to blow smoke up my ass. I'll get you the address if you agree, but it's just you and me…no one else." Daryl told his father.

"Alright, sounds like a good idea. Son, I really am sorry about Merle. I hope you know I ain't who I used to be. I ain't asking for a second chance, I just want you to let me apologize for what I did to ya and maybe we can re-open the lines of communication. I ain't never quit thinking about you and what I did." Will said, his eyes glistening with genuine tears.

"Let's get back inside before the service starts." Daryl said curtly.

Davia and Daryl sat together at the front of the small chapel. Merle really did look impressive lying in state wearing his full military uniform. No one would have realized he died a desperate junkie had it not been all over the news. To both Daryl and Davia's surprise there was a good size turn out for his service.

Most of the people who came were there to support Daryl. Hershel and his wife Annette showed up, along with Dale and Irma, several of Daryl's co-workers, Zach and Beth, and few of Merle's acquaintances. A few people got up to share some funny stories about Merle, and the pastor gave a message on lost sheep being able to find their way back home. The pastor asked Daryl if he wanted to offer a few words about his brother, and with Davia's encouragement he went up to the front of the chapel and began to speak.

"I ain't big on words…Merle was the talkative one as most of y'all know. If he were able too, he'd take over this room in five minutes and have all of us laughing, or at least fighting. Look, I know Merle won't no Saint, but he was my brother, and he was there for me when no one else was. He practically raised me. When I hit rock bottom and had nothing, he gave up everything to come take care of me. It wasn't all peaches and cream, but it was what it was. When you met Merle, you knew where you stood and he didn't sugar coat anything. He taught me how to be a man, how to survive, and for that I will always be grateful. Say what you want about Merle Dixon, but he did things his way and stayed true to who he was, which was the best he could do. Nothing was more important to Merle than family, and I'm glad I got to have him in my life." Daryl said, his voice cracking at the last statement. He quickly moved to sit down beside Davia and she squeezed his hand to comfort him. She knew he was on the verge of breaking down, so she gently began to rub his back getting him to relax.

"That was beautifully said Daryl. Merle would have been proud." She whispered in his ear.

After a few more people spoke Davia got up and went to the piano to sing. She knew exactly what song would be perfect for the occasion and began to sing Vince Gill's "Go Rest High on that Mountain." It was a little high for her vocal range, but she knew she could still knock it out.

_**I know your life on earth was troubled**_

_**And only you could know the pain**_

_**You weren't afraid to face the Devil**_

_**You were no stranger to the rain**_

_**Go rest high on that mountain**_

_**Son your work on earth is done**_

_**Go to Heaven a shoutin'**_

_**Love for the Father and the Son**_

_**Oh, how we cried the day you left us**_

_**We gathered round your grave to grieve**_

_**Wish I could see the angels' faces**_

_**When they hear your sweet voice sing**_

_**So go rest high on that mountain**_

_**Son, your work on earth is done**_

_**Go to Heaven a shoutin'**_

_**Love for the Father and the Son**_

_**So go rest high on that mountain**_

_**Son, your work on earth is done**_

_**Go to Heaven a shoutin'**_

_**Love for the Father and the Son**_

_**Go to Heaven a shoutin'**_

_**Love for the Father and the Son**_

When she finished all you could hear were sniffles and silence. If ever there was a more fitting song for Merle Dixon it was this one. Daryl was looking at the floor, trying so hard to keep his emotions in check. Davia made her way back to him and as soon as she sat down beside him Daryl wrapped his arms around her and collapsed onto her, sobbing at the loss of his only brother.

Her heart broke at that moment as she realized just how alone he felt. She made a vow to never let Daryl feel this alone again. No matter what it took, she would let him know how much she loved him and how important he was to her. Today would be the beginning of a new era for both of them, and one that they would share together, hopefully for the rest of their lives.

_**Well I hope you liked this chapter...it turned into a monster. Next chapter we are going to delve into Daryl/Will's past.**_

_**I have received some incredible reviews and I appreciate each and everyone of them. Please feel free to continue to review, it really helps with the direction of this story. FYI- There will be smut, but we aren't there yet. Davia isn't ready just yet and Daryl can't physically do it right now. But there will be some proper smut. **_

_**I am also going to take us down the road of what happened with Daryl's mother. I know in the show she died in a fire, but I wanted this story to be a bit different. Do you think Daryl Should/Will forgive his father? I would really like to hear your take on this. Just so you know in case you doubted it, Will has genuinely changed. It doesn't make what he did in the past right, but he is no longer that person, and I know on TWD Hershel wasn't a good guy in his early past either, and look how he changed (I miss Hershel bunches)...**_

_**Hope you guys enjoy this weeks TWD...if anyone wants to chat about it you can always PM me. It is one of my most favorite things to talk about LOL.**_

_**Have a fantastic Sunday and don't forget to leave a review...or share with others. **_

_**Love each and everyone of you!**_

_**Missy**_

_**XXOO**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Lot's of Angst in this chapter...**

Merle's service ended at the cemetery where he was laid to his final rest. Daryl had closed himself down after his emotional breakdown on Davia's shoulder. She had noticed that he was wincing as they had made their way from the car to the gravesite and she knew he was in a lot more physical pain than he was letting on. As they lowered Merle's casket into the ground Davia heard Daryl whisper "I'm gonna miss ya brother." Whether he meant to speak it out loud or not she didn't know, but she knew that as complicated as the relationship between the two men was, he would truly miss Merle and his wild escapades.

As they were leaving the cemetery Davia noticed that Will and Hershel were speaking to one another. She remembered Daryl mentioning that the two men used to run together many years earlier and she wondered what they could be speaking about. Jacqui was holding her husband's hand and it wasn't lost on her that Will looked very somber, almost heartbroken. She didn't know what was next for him and Daryl, but she prayed that whatever happened that Daryl didn't end up hurt again by the man that was his father.

After the funeral Daryl insisted that they drive out to the house to check on things. Davia knew it was killing Daryl not to be able to physically work on getting the house in shape for him to move in. Fall was upon them and the skies were over cast and the air was breezy. Davia couldn't help but admire how beautiful the setting of the house sitting above the lake with the leaves changing colors looked. Daryl would be happy here…because it suited him to be away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Blue Ridge.

They walked through the first floor while Daryl checked on things, and then they slowly made their way upstairs to the bedrooms. Daryl asked for Davia's input as to how they should finish off the rooms, and of course she was glad to make suggestions. The master bedroom was impressive with its grand fireplace and French doors that led out to a veranda that overlooked the lake. Yes, without a doubt Daryl would be happy here. Anyone would.

"Davia, I was thinking." Daryl said.

"About what?" She asked.

"Move in here with me. I don't want to be separated from you for one night." He told her earnestly.

"Really? But Daryl I can't drive and that means higher cab fares to get back and forth to work." She told him.

"Stop, I told ya I was gonna teach you how to drive. I'm off work for a while and you don't work during the day, I can have you driving in no time." He told her taking her hand.

Davia was flabbergasted. This was not what she was expecting him to say. Of course she wanted to live here with him, but she was concerned that because of his fragile emotional state after the run-in with his father and burying his brother that he was making a decision he hadn't thought through. Screw it.

"You gotta deal Daryl. But with the driving part, it isn't so much the driving that is my concern as it is passing the written test. You know I can't read very well." She told him.

"We will go over the handbook until you know it back to front. Hell if I can pass it I know you can. So yeah…you are going to move in here and be the lady of the house," He said teasing slightly.

"Yes Daryl!" She said gently embracing him. Now she was just as excited as he was at the prospect of this being 'their' home.

…

After they left the house they went back to Davia's apartment. She encouraged Daryl to lay down and rest, as he looked completely wiped out from the events of the day. He obliged and she helped him get into their bed and pulled off his shoes. He insisted on changing his clothes and changed into a pair of jeans and T-shirt and then lay back down. His head barely hit the pillow before he slipped into a calm sleep.

While Daryl slept Davia went into a whirlwind cleaning up the house, scrubbing floors, washing clothes, and dusting all the furniture. She knew her cleaning was excessive, but it always seemed to help her relax. After she was finished with her cleaning detail she sat down at her computer and went to the Georgia Division of Motor Vehicles website and downloaded the Driving guide. If she had any shot of getting her driver's license she was going to need to get through the handbook so she would be familiar with the Georgia driving laws. Reading was definitely a struggle for her, but she knew this was something she needed to do.

Daryl napped for a good three hours while she slowly read the guidebook. She was on the fourth chapter when she heard Daryl call for her "Davia, I need your help." He said.

She rushed into the bedroom to find his shirt soaked with blood as well as the sheets on the bed.

"Oh My God Daryl, quick, we need to get you to the hospital." She said.

"Calm down girl. I popped some stitches. Ain't nothing serious. I need to get the bleeding stopped and then we need to change and wash the sheets." He said pressing his shirt against the bleeding wound.

Davia nodded and helped him get up and the two went into the bathroom. She found a first aid kit under the sink and Daryl instructed her to find some butterfly bandages. She did as he directed and with his help, they were able to press the wound together and secure it with the bandages. The bleeding had stopped and Daryl felt that they had successfully handled the small crisis.

"That should hold, if ya got some super glue we could seal it up." He told her.

"Daryl Dixon, you are not putting super glue on your wound. God knows what type of germs you would trap in there." She said in a scolding voice.

"Yes Ma'am." He said teasingly.

They pulled the bloodied sheets off the bed and Davia soaked the bloodstains with hydrogen peroxide. It bubbled as it began to work on the stains. Daryl tried to help her put clean sheets on the bed but she shooed him away "Stop it so you don't pop anymore stitches. I think you did entirely too much today. Tomorrow I want you on the couch and I don't want you to move." She insisted.

"Got plans. I'm going over to Merle's to clean out his stuff and see if I can find the box he was talking about." He told her.

"I will go with you. What are you going to do if what he said was true?" She asked.

"First of all, I need ya to stay here. I'm gonna meet my old man over there to talk. I might need ya to put me back together again after that, but I want it to be just him and me. I got a lot of questions to ask him. As far as my mom goes, I ain't decided." He told her.

"Daryl, are you sure you want to do that? I mean your dad seems nice…now, but he could be putting on a front and it could stir up a lot of hurt and pain from your past." She said, concerned.

"I know, that's why I want to meet him one on one. I can judge if he is sincere or not, and I don't want any distractions. No offense Davia, but when you are around I can't keep my mind and my eyes off of ya. You are too fucking hypnotic too me." He said.

Davia blushed at the compliment. "Well if you think you will be OK, then I approve, but you can't lift anything." She replied.

"I know, gonna make the old man work." He said smiling.

…

The next morning Daryl was up early in anticipation of meeting with his father. He quietly got out of bed, observing Davia sound asleep curled up like a cat. She was adorable when she slept and he often found himself just watching her, as she lay there completely unaware of his observation. They had spent hours the previous night caught up in each other's passionate kisses. At one point Daryl had moved Davia gingerly underneath his body and she had allowed his hands to roam freely over her. She had emitted a few moans of pleasure and it had left Daryl more sexually frustrated than he had been in years. Her voluptuous curves elicited a physical response in him that left no questions for Davia regarding just how much he wanted her. For once in his life Daryl wished time would pass quickly so he could heal up and her birth control pill's effectiveness would kick in. He had been thinking about the first time he would have her, and decided that he wanted to make it special for her. He had a few ideas kicking around in his head, now all he had to do was put them into action.

Daryl quickly got dressed, but not before observing his wounds in the mirror. His slashed and re-stitched abdomen looked like something out of a horror movie. Daryl had always been self conscious of the scars that marred his body, but this took the cake. He had always avoided things like going swimming in public, or removing his shirt during intimate moments. Really the only person that he had felt remotely comfortable baring his naked torso too was Davia. She was the only one who had seen him completely exposed, and for once it didn't seem unnatural.

Before he left he went over and stooped down to give Davia a gentle kiss on her cheek. She rustled a bit but didn't wake. He then wrote her a quick note telling her he had left for Merle's place and for her to call him if she needed him for anything. He had his cell, and though he hardly used it, he decided he would stop by on the way home and add her to his phone plan. He would just feel better with her having some sort of mobile communication. Daryl took one final look around the immaculate apartment and smiled. Pretty soon they would both be living at his house at the lake. It wouldn't be his house, but it would be 'their' home.

On his way to Merle's Daryl alternated between smoking cigarettes and chewing his thumb raw. To say he was apprehensive about being alone with is father was an understatement. Though Will Dixon didn't appear to be the monster that he once was, Daryl knew what the man had been capable of in the past. Even though it had been twenty-two years since he had last experienced his father's drunken wrath, Daryl wasn't convinced the man couldn't slip right back into bad habits.

Daryl arrived at the house and used his key to open it up. The smell of old smoke and moldy food greeted him at the door. No one had been at the house since that morning after Merle had been arrested and Daryl had come to retrieve his belongings. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but it had only been a few weeks. There was just a bit of Daryl that still wondered if things would have been different if he and Merle hadn't fought that night. Daryl, however, knew he couldn't dwell on the "what if's." Had those events not happened, he might not be with Davia.

Daryl found some trash bags under the sink and began to toss the spoiled food into the bags. Fortunately there hadn't been much food in the house and he quickly completed the task. He heard a knock at the door and knew it was Will. He opened it up and there he stood face to face alone with his father.

"Ya made it." He said to the old man. Daryl carefully took in his father's appearance, and noticed his father looked as nervous as he did.

"Yeah, lived on this street many years ago when your momma and I got married. Not much has changed since then." Will mused.

"Yep, still a white trash neighborhood. Merle and I lived here near about fifteen years. It was all we could afford at first, then it didn't seem like it was worth the effort to move anywhere nicer 'cause Merle would just fuck it up."

"Merle was always a handful. I reckon he got that from me…I wasn't the best influence." Will admitted.

"Ya think?" Daryl said sarcastically.

Will raised his hands in mock surrender "I brought ya something for breakfast, I swung by the diner and picked up some sausage biscuits and some coffee." Will said, offering a bag to Daryl.

Daryl eyed the bag carefully, not trusting Will's intentions. He remembered all the times when he was a child that he went days without eating because Will would either punish him for trying to eat 'his food' or Will would be too drunk to remember to feed him. Daryl almost refused the offer, but he was hungry and he figured it was the least Will could do. "Thanks" Daryl said as he took the bag from his father.

"Your welcome. So where do you want to get started around here? Looks like there is a lot to clean up, and I am going to make the assumption you are limited in what you physically can do. I'll let you direct me into what needs to be done." Will said concerned about Daryl's still healing abdomen.

"Kinda weird ain't it, me telling ya what to do?" Daryl said in a snarky manner while lighting up a cigarette.

"Well I'm glad to do whatever you ask Daryl. I owe at least that much to you." He said, knowing Daryl was testing him.

Daryl then offered him a cigarette "Ya still smoke?"

"Not since I left. I gave up all my vices." Will replied.

"You sure it wasn't just because you didn't have a human ashtray to use anymore?" Daryl bit back.

Will gave Daryl a pained look. He suspected this would be a difficult discussion with Daryl, and Daryl wasn't holding back any punches. Will chose to ignore Daryl's comment.

The two moved wordlessly into Merle's room and began to rummage through Merle's belongings. Of course Daryl found ample drug paraphernalia under the bed and quickly tossed all of his pipes and needles into the trash. "Reckon no one needs this shit anymore." He said slightly amused at all the illegal crap his brother once possessed.

"It's a shame your brother couldn't ever quit using. He was going at it pretty heavy when I left, it was half the reason he wasn't around much when you were coming up." Will stated.

"Where the fuck do you get off making a statement like that? He wasn't around because he didn't want to deal with your fucking beatings. Don't blame the drugs Old man, it was you. He used to escape from you, and it wasn't like you were exactly clean. You know, after you left he came back and took care of me because I was just a scared skinny kid that had no money, no food, and no fucking hope left in this world. Merle won't perfect, but at least he fucking tried. He taught me what it was like to be a man, and not some abused animal." Daryl said defending his brother. He knew Merle was a mess, but with Will Dixon as your father what the hell did you expect.

"Daryl do you not think that I don't take responsibility in what happened to Merle…to you? I know I'm the reason. I can't even remotely begin to make up for what I did to you boys. The only thing I can fix is what happens from this point forward." Will said in earnest.

"Ain't that simple and you know it. You're lucky I even agreed to this and didn't wring my hands around your neck for all the shit you did to me in the past. This ain't some shit about me being mad that you didn't get me a pony, this is about the fucking HELL you put me through. I think my biggest question is why?" Daryl asked.

"Dunno Daryl." Was all Will managed to reply.

Daryl decided to drop the subject, he didn't feel like arguing and he knew his father's answer was bullshit. You don't severely abuse and neglect a kid without a reason. Daryl just wanted to know what that reason was.

After an hour Will had begun to lift boxes out of Merle's closet. Daryl had considered donating Merle's clothing to Goodwill, but there wasn't anything in good enough shape to give away, so aside from Merle's leather motorcycle vest, Daryl pitched the remaining items into the trash. Daryl was waiting for Will to pull down the rest of the boxes, looking for the one in particular that Merle had told him about.

"Well that's the last of 'em" Will said as he finished emptying out the closet.

Daryl spotted the box Merle had mentioned, and with shaky hands he opened it up. Inside were family photos and about twenty letter's bundled together. The last one was dated twenty-five years ago and had been postmarked from Montana. Damn, his mother had went a long way to escape from Will Dixon. Daryl fought the urge to open them up and read them there, but he didn't want his father to see his reaction to any of the letters. He lifted the box, wincing as he did so, and began to carry it out to his truck.

"Daryl, let me carry that for you." Will said attempting to take the box from Daryl.

"Leave me be and stay here." Daryl commanded the older man, who looked at his son with bewilderment.

Daryl took the box to the truck and put it on the floorboard on the passenger side. To be honest, he wanted to go through its contents alone. He didn't even want Davia with him, because he didn't want to burden her if he had some sort of emotional reaction. Davia had already been put through so much because of him, and he was wondering when the girl would come to her senses and realize there was a lot of baggage that accompanied him.

Daryl made his way back into the house and Will was disassembling Merle's bed. "Daryl if you don't mind, can I have the salvageable items to donate to my church? I can rent a trailer and take them back to Chattanooga."

"Don't give a fuck, I ain't got no need for them. Don't you think it's a bit ironic to give a drug addict's shit to someone at church?" Daryl taunted.

"You'd be surprised what people in need are willing to accept. This might be the difference between someone sleeping on a floor or not." Will reminded his son.

"Since when did you become so noble? I don't get it old man. You come here now, some fucking saint, but what happened to the monster you used to be?" Daryl asked earnestly.

"First of all, I will tell you but I want you to sit down. You're looking worn out and you need your rest." Will told Daryl.

Daryl was aching, and he was exhausted, so he took his father's advice and sat down in the worn out recliner that Merle would park himself in after many a drunken night. Will sat down on one of the kitchen chairs, pulling it in front of Daryl.

"First thing I want to say to you Daryl is I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of my past deeds. The things I did to you, Merle, and worse of all Nora…it's inexcusable." Will began.

"Hope you ain't waiting for me to offer you forgiveness. I've lived with the aftermath of your 'past deeds' for almost my entire life." Daryl said, not giving the man any sense of absolution.

"No I'm not Daryl. I can't forgive myself, so how can I expect you to forgive me. I see your anger, and if it was me, I'd be angry too. You have every right to be. You asked me earlier why I did what I did to you, and I guess it's because I blamed you for all that went wrong with this family. You weren't the reason, but I didn't want to blame myself." Will admitted.

"What the hell did I do other than be born?" Daryl asked angrily.

"Being born was enough. Your momma and I married young, and we were in love. She was beautiful and so sweet. She took good care of me and I went to work everyday, just the way things were supposed to happen. After we were married a few years, Merle came around, and I was a proud poppa. I had a son that would carry on the Dixon name. What more could a son of the South ask for?" Will laughed.

"So what went wrong?" Daryl asked.

"We were content, but we struggled financially. That wasn't unheard of in this neighborhood though. We were all blue-collar workers so no one really cared how poor we were. I had been working a job as a pipe fitter, when an opportunity came up for me to work the copper mines up in Tennessee. The pay was good, but it meant I would be traveling during the week and home on the weekends. Your momma and Merle would be alone." Will told Daryl.

"Lot's of people travel for work and don't do what you did to me and Merle, so what made you so different?" Daryl asked.

"Being away from home with the other guys meant we had a lot of extra time on our hands. I started drinking to pass the time, and then the drinking became more than just an occasional habit, it became a way of life." He said sadly.

Daryl knew all too well what Will was talking about. He had taken some out of town electrical assignments in his career, and knew that that he and his co-workers would drink and go to strip bars. He also knew that a lot of the married men would also take up with bar sluts that would flaunt themselves at them in exchange for a few drinks and a dinner. He himself had hooked up with a slutty chick on occasion.

"Did you cheat on her?" Daryl asked his father directly.

"Not at first, but eventually I did. I justified it by telling myself it was your momma's fault for letting me leave my other job, but it was just a sorry excuse. Eventually I was rarely coming home, choosing to stay at the job site with the guys." Will admitted.

"So once again, you couldn't take responsibility for your own actions huh? How did I come into all of this?" Daryl said shaking his head in disgust.

"Eventually I wasn't really sending much money to your momma and Merle, and she was forced to turn to social services for food stamps. Your Uncle Jess, he took pity on her and began to help her out. He tried to talk sense into me, reminding me what a good woman Nora was, but I wouldn't listen. I was only coming home once or twice a month, and Merle was starting to lash out in school, he was seven or eight years old and couldn't grasp what was going on. One night I got a call from your momma and she told me she was pregnant. Instead of being happy, I was angry and I felt betrayed."

"Why the hell did you feel betrayed? She didn't do anything to you!" Daryl yelled.

"I know, but with me being gone so much, and Jess watching out for her I began to suspect it wasn't my baby…that you weren't my son." Will said.

"That's bullshit and you know it, she wouldn't have done that to you, neither would Uncle Jess." Daryl screamed.

"I know that now Daryl, but at the time I was so paranoid because of my own misdeeds I couldn't believe that Nora would stay true to me. Jess was happily married to your Aunt Dottie and would have never strayed from her. It was all me and I couldn't be convinced otherwise. Especially since I had been home so rarely. Turned out I had left your momma so broke she couldn't even afford her birth control pills anymore. After you were born there was no doubt you were mine, but that made me hate you even more." Will said flatly.

"But why?" Daryl asked.

"'Cause I made a damn fool out of myself by accusing her of cheating and I couldn't handle the fact that I had destroyed what was once good with your momma. You were a constant reminder of that, and to make matters worse we were now so broke supporting both of you boys that it just proved what a failure I had turned out to be. I eventually lost my job because I was too hung over to even show up most mornings. Once again, another failure. When I finally came home for good, the damage was done." Will said, now rubbing his face as tears began to slip from his eyes. He truly felt remorse.

He then continued "You were sick as a baby from poor nutrition during your momma's pregnancy, and you cried all the time. I couldn't take it, and I began to lash out at whoever I could, Nora first, then Merle, and finally you. You were the easiest since you were so small. I beat you for the first time before you even turned two years old. That's when Nora told me she was leaving and taking you boys with her. I knew she didn't love me anymore, and that hurt the most. So I wanted to hurt her back. I told her I would kill both of you boys if she left, and I meant it at the time. It was easiest to just tell everyone she was a two-bit whore and abandoned us. It allowed me to save a little face, but it was all a lie. She tried to get y'all back, but I wouldn't let her. I knew she couldn't afford to take me to court, and she knew that if she tried anymore y'all would meet an unfortunate end. She loved you enough to give you up to save your lives. That is why I turned into the sadistic man I was." He then took in a deep breath.

"Merle quit coming around, he was fourteen and running wild, and he was able to defend himself against me at that time, but you…you were easy pickings. I would beat you whenever I thought about her, you were the reminder of what I lost. Then one night, and you know what one I'm talking about, I almost killed you. I woke up the next morning and you were laying unconscious on the kitchen floor, dried blood covering your body. You weren't any older than fourteen at the time. I couldn't do it anymore, I couldn't stay with you because I was going to kill you. The ironic thing Daryl, is that I loved you."

"No…you don't get to say that. It's complete bullshit and you know it. That isn't love, I have no idea what it was, but it wasn't love." Daryl said angrily.

"No you're wrong, I did love you, and I loved Merle, but I loved her more, and that was why I would get so angry. I knew I should have let y'all go with her, you would have been much better off, but I didn't want to let what was mine go, y'all were the last bit of her I had left. That morning I packed my belongings and left for good. I ended up in Chattanooga at a church…and I met my salvation. I haven't had a drink since that day, and I fell in love with Jacqui. Obviously, being the racist pig I was before, it would have been hard for people from my past to understand what direction my life turned, but she makes me happy, and she gives me peace. But that doesn't mean that I haven't lived every single day since I left wondering and worrying about you and Merle. It's too late for me to mend things with Merle, but I would like a chance to at least re-connect with you Daryl. You don't have to decide today, but I would at least like you to consider it." Will said, extending his hand to Daryl.

"Put your hand up, I ain't shaking it. You just dropped a lot of heavy shit on me and I need to think. I won't ever forgive you for what you've done. I heard you had another family? I got any brother's and sisters I don't know about?" Daryl asked.

"Not biological ones. Jacqui has a daughter Michonne, she's just a little younger than you are. She practices law in Atlanta and is one tough lady. Smart and beautiful like her mother, but fierce and protective too. Her biological father was a lot like me, and it took me several years to gain her trust. She was about twelve when I came into the picture. We are now very close and hope one day you get the opportunity to meet her." Will said.

"Yeah, right. Look, I need to get this shit wrapped up. When are you going to get this stuff? I need to turn the keys in to the landlord." Daryl said coldly. His mind was trying to take in everything he had just learned about his parents, and it was a lot to handle. Even at his age, it didn't hurt any less.

"At the end of the week. Jacqui and I are going to have dinner with Hershel and his family. I understand that you and your lady are close with Hershel's daughter. You know, Hershel was a lot like me at one time. When he was with his oldest daughter's momma, he wasn't a good man." Will informed Daryl.

"So I heard, but he never beat his innocent children either. He might have been a drunk, but when his kids were born he chose to do the right thing." Daryl reminded him.

"Your right, not all of us were as smart as Hershel. He did something with his life, and I chose the other path." Will admitted, defeated by Daryl's constant reminding him of his failures. Will had known this wouldn't be easy, but Daryl was relentless.

"What ever happened to momma? No one ever speaks about her…Merle confessed to me as he was dying he had some contact with her while we were younger, but after that, nothing." Daryl asked.

"She went out west and re-married. I think she gave up trying to contact you after she never heard back. Unfortunately, it wasn't your fault. She didn't know that her letters never made it to you. They would come and Merle would take them and hide them. I knew she was trying desperately to contact you with those letters, but I didn't do anything to enlighten you to their arrival in the mail. I guess I thought Merle would share the information." Will said.

"Yeah, he shared it with me on his fucking death bed." Daryl snarled out.

"Son, maybe you should try to find her…none of what happened was her fault. She was scared and alone, and fearful of what I would do to you. Don't blame her for what happened." Will said convincingly.

"I got a lot to process. Look, I'm done from here. Let me know when you are gonna come by and pick up things." Daryl said curtly.

"I will make sure to do that Daryl. Think about what I told you today. And thank you, for at least meeting me here. I truly am sorry for all the hurt I caused you. I pray you use me as an example of what NOT to do to your family." Will said.

"I gotta go." Daryl said as he left without saying another word. His body was aching, but his heart hurt more at this point. He checked his phone and Davia had called three times. He wanted so desperately to just fall into her arms and forget everything that happened today, but he wasn't going to put her through that drama. He needed a pain pill, but he decided he would self-medicate. Instead of heading back to Davia's apartment, he instead headed to Dale's bar.

…

Davia was beginning to grow concerned. She had found the note Daryl had left her that morning, and it said he expected to be back by mid-afternoon. It was now five in the afternoon and he had yet to return. She had a chicken cooking in the crockpot for dinner, but now she wasn't sure he was going to be home. Out of concern, she had tried to call him several times on his cell, but each time it went to voice mail. Desperate, she called Will Dixon, only to find out that Daryl and he had parted ways several hours earlier.

Not knowing what else to do she called up Beth and told her what was going on. Beth told her she would grab Zach and they would go look for Daryl. The young couple arrived at Davia's apartment within thirty minutes, all of them concerned about Daryl's well being.

"You don't think anything bad happened to him do you?" Beth asked, trying to calm down a very pensive Davia.

"I don't know…this isn't like him at all. I am kicking myself for letting him go over there alone. Daryl doesn't handle emotions well and I am afraid he has done something desperate." Davia exclaimed.

Zach then spoke "Davia, take a deep breath, this is Blue Ridge, not New York, we'll find him."

The all got into Zach's car and began to look for Daryl. The first place they went was Merle's house, but Daryl wasn't anywhere in the area. They stopped by Dale's and Dale confirmed that Daryl had stopped in for a few drinks, but had left about two hours earlier. Davia then had a thought "Drive out to his house."

Zach did as she said and sure enough, Daryl's truck was parked out in front of the old farmhouse. "Y'all wait here and I will see if he is inside."

Davia walked in and knew immediately Daryl was in the house. For one thing, the front door wasn't locked and she also picked up the scent of cigarettes wafting through the house. She took a deep breath, relieved Daryl was OK.

She went upstairs and found Daryl sitting on the floor, all the contents of the box she assumed Merle had told him about, spread all over the floor.

"Daryl honey, are you OK?" She asked. She then noticed an almost completely empty bottle of Southern Comfort sitting on the floor beside him.

"Davia…I…" He couldn't speak and she noticed he had tear tracks down his face.

Davia rushed to him and dropped to her knees beside him "Oh Baby, I'm so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I gotta find her Davia, and I don't know how or where to start." He said crumpling into her arms.

"We'll do it together Daryl. Why didn't you return my calls, did I do something to make you upset with me?" She asked.

"I didn't want to burden you with my problems." He told her.

"Daryl, your problems are my problems from now on. There isn't any reason for you to handle this alone. Why don't you tell me how things went with your father today?" She asked him gently.

And he did. Though he was highly intoxicated, and his words were heavily slurred, he told her every detail of what had transpired with Will earlier. Her heart broke for him, knowing that she should have never let him go alone to spend time with Will. He told her what Will had asked about Daryl allowing him back into his life.

"What do you want to do sweetie?" She said soothingly.

"Davia, I honestly don't know. What do you think I should do?" He asked, his voice seeming small and unsure.

"Daryl you don't have to make a decision today. Think about it, sleep on it, and sober up…then you decide." She said as she wiped his tears off his cheeks. It took a lot to get Daryl to this point, but he had been through such an emotionally trying week she wasn't really sure how he was still sane.

"How did ya get here?" He suddenly asked.

"Zach and Beth brought me. Let's gather these things up and head home." She told him. Before they even made it down the stairs, Daryl found himself getting sick. The excess alcohol and the lack of food turned his stomach into a battleground, and poor Daryl lost the war.

He could barely stand, and Zach was kind enough to help get Daryl to his car. Zach opted to drive Daryl's truck back to the apartment while Beth drove Davia and Daryl. Davia sat in the backseat with a very sick and quiet Daryl laying with his head in her lap.

"Remind me never to drink again." He said, causing Beth to let out a quiet giggle.

Beth spoke up "Daryl Dixon, don't you ever scare the hell out of us like this again. Zach and me don't take too kindly to our best friends causing us worry like this. The next time you decide to get drunk and go out on an adventure you make sure you take us along with you…OK?" She said.

Daryl responded quietly "Yes Ma'am."

Davia knew that Daryl had a lot of decisions to make, and she was just thankful that she had him back with her, in one piece. When was he ever going to catch a break?

**Poor Daryl...he is dealing with a lot. Do you think he should allow his father a second chance? I curious to know what your thoughts are. There is a lot of conversation in this chapter, and I apologize if it was difficult to follow. **

**Please leave me a lovely review, and let me know your thoughts on what you think Daryl should do next. It's a tough decision.**

**Once again, Will is sincere...there aren't any other ulterior motives.**

**Next chapter will be more light-hearted.**

**I know it's Sunday Night, and a few minutes from TWD...so everyone...ENJOY. I don't think I will be eating much during tonights episode..the Bob-b Q thing has had me disturbed all week.**

**Love each and everyone of you.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	12. Chapter 12

**I will be real honest...this isn't my best chapter.**

The Southern Comfort Daryl had consumed in excess had left him very sick, and very hung over. Davia wanted to scold him like a child, but she knew Daryl didn't need to be told he had made a stupid mistake. He was miserable and opted to sleep on the couch because he didn't want to risk getting sick in the bed, and to be honest he was embarrassed in his decision on how to handle the information he had found in Merle's belongings.

Surprisingly, Will Dixon had called to check on Daryl to make sure he was OK. When Davia had called him concerned about his whereabouts, he wanted to be sure that Daryl hadn't done anything risky or stupid. Will was well aware of Daryl's emotional state and he truly cared enough to check on his boy.

Davia stayed close to Daryl until he fell into a deep sleep, then slipped off to the room to sleep her self. She missed the warmth of having her man beside her, but knew he was feeling like crap and she figured he was just more comfortable on the couch.

The next morning she woke up and checked on Daryl who was still asleep. She decided to make a pot of strong coffee and some "comfort" food for him. She knew toast and bacon would help to settle his stomach, so she made him a plate and opted to not make eggs, knowing sometimes they could make stomach matters worse.

She finished up the breakfast just as he was starting to rouse on the couch. "Damn, it's been a long time since I've been this hammered. I forgot how bad a hangover felt." He said as she placed his breakfast on the coffee table in front of him, and then she handed him a large glass of ice water, which he drank down greedily.

"Thanks for this." He said as he gingerly tried to sit himself up on the couch. His head hurt, his stomach was turning, and his abdominal wound was burning and itching.

"Anything for you Daryl. You should probably take it easy today. I imagine after your little escapade last night you don't feel all that well." She said.

"Understatement of the century." He mumbled back. Daryl got himself up off the couch and dragged his worn out body into the bathroom. He felt like crap and still smelled like a still, so he opted to take a bath. One thing for sure, he couldn't wait until he was able to take a shower. It would be at least another week before he could fully immerse his body under the hot water, and it couldn't come soon enough. He stripped down and realized he hadn't taken any clean clothes into the bathroom with him. "Fuck" he thought to himself. He would just wrap a towel around him when he was done and then grab some clothes from the room.

Soaking in the tub felt good, though he had to admit he liked it better when Davia was in there to bathe him. He briefly considered playing up his 'disability' knowing full well she would come in and help him out, but it wasn't fair to do that to her. She had gone above and beyond taking care of him and he felt guilty for making her worry the previous day. Daryl wanted to do something special for Davia to show her how grateful he was for everything she had done, but he didn't know what he could do that would equal what she had done for him since they had met.

As he got out of the tub he walked out into the living room wrapped only in his towel, not realizing that Carol had stopped by as she had promised to check on him. Suddenly he felt self-conscious of his bare torso being exposed in the sunlight filled room in front of Carol. He tried to speak, but a grunt was all he could manage.

"Well good to see you again too Daryl." Carol said light-heartily. Daryl looked at her and realized she had a splint on her wrist. Upon closer inspection he also noticed she had bruising on her upper arms, around her neck, and even though she tried to conceal it, there was swelling under her left eye. He recognized those bruises as he had suffered many similar bruises himself when he was younger. Daryl didn't know a lot about Carol's personal life but he thought he remembered her getting married shortly after high school to some asshole from Atlanta who had moved to Blue Ridge backed by his family's money, and opened one of the fancy hotels in town. He also knew Carol had a child, but he wasn't sure if it was a son or daughter. Carol was a nice lady and she certainly didn't deserve to be abused…no one did.

Not really wanting to address his concerns to her directly Daryl simply spoke. "Carol, If ya ever need someone to help you get out of a bad situation, Me and Davia are here for ya. We can't thank you enough for all you have done for us." He hoped that his statement was cryptic, but that it also would let her know he knew what she was going through. He noticed that she suddenly wiped her eyes of tears that were threatening to fall.

"Thanks Daryl. I appreciate that." Carol replied.

Carol had Daryl sit down (still clothed only in a towel wrapped around his waist) at the kitchen table. Davia looked on noticing that Daryl wouldn't make eye contact with anyone as Carol began to examine his healing abdomen.

"Have you had any pain?" She asked.

"Some burning, and a ton of itching." He replied. Daryl's body tensed considerably as Carol began to run her fingertips across his torso examining his healing wound.

"Looks like you popped a few stitches and put them back together with a butterfly bandage. Good idea." She commented as she ran her hand across the repaired portion of his body.

"Ya" was all he replied.

What happened next was a bit bewildering to both Daryl and Davia. Carol slid Daryl's towel down below his hipbone making both him and Davia feel uncomfortable with her actions. Daryl's eyes grew slightly wide as it seemed that Carol let her hands linger just a little too long on the lower region of his hip…ever so slightly moving her hands towards Daryl's groin area. Carol must have sensed she was making Daryl feel uncomfortable as she quickly pulled her hand away and her face turned a couple of shades of red when she realized what she had done.

"Well everything looks like it is healing well Daryl. You can remove the butterfly bandages in a day or two and I think you will be good. I would pick up some Neosporin and begin applying it each night before you go to bed. Once you get those staples out next week you will be much more comfortable." She said in a rushed voice.

Quickly she picked up her medical kit and told them "I need to go now, I'm running a little late to the hospital. Call me if you notice anything out of the ordinary." She said rushing out of the apartment.

Davia looked at Daryl "What was that all about?"

"Dunno, but I don't think I want her checking me out anymore. I think she is going through some major shit at home with her asshole husband and her mind must of just slipped or something." Daryl said trying to excuse what had just occurred with Carol.

"Yeah, maybe. Why don't you rest up today and just try to get over your hangover." She told him as she went over and kissed him.

"Naw…I don't want to lie around anymore. I feel better since I took a bath, we're gonna go get ya a cell phone today. I'm adding you to my plan, then I'm gonna stop by and see Tyreese and see if there is any paperwork I need to fill out for my Short-term disability. You wanna ride with me?" He asked her.

"I'd love too." She said as she gave him a dazzling smile.

…

They ran errands and then Daryl took Davia out to lunch. As soon as she had gotten the phone the first person she called was Beth to wish her luck with her audition today. Beth had then been given strict instructions by Davia to 'text' her back as soon as she was finished with Dale. Beth promised she would call her back and then told her she had found out some information that morning that she was eager to share.

After they finished lunch Daryl drove them out to the house. Davia could hardly believe that she would be living there soon. There were some deliveries of material that had arrived and were sitting on the porch and a flooring contractor met them there as well. Daryl gave the guy a spare key so he would have access to the house and he and Davia took a walk around. Things were beginning to come around nicely and he and Zach had planned on working on the house Saturday to get it close to the point they could move in. One thing was for sure, and that was they were going to need furniture. Daryl never really cared what the furniture in his previous house was like, and he picked most of it up at either yard sales, Goodwill, and even a few pieces were discarded by the side of the road, but he knew Davia would want something nice.

"Tomorrow we go pick out some furniture. I have a small budget, but as good as you did with getting the materials at a good cost, I think we might be able to stretch the funds a pretty good ways." He told her.

Davia's eyes lit up "Really, you are going to let me help with picking out the furniture?"

"Hell yeah baby, you have good taste and this is gonna be your home too. Just don't want nothing pink and frilly." He teased back.

They headed for the truck to leave and Daryl suddenly had an idea. "Trade places with me…driving lesson's start now. We can use the path to the house as a good place to start." He told her.

She nervously obliged and he instructed her on how to start the truck, hold her hands on the wheel, and all the basics of how the vehicle worked. "All right girl, put the truck in drive and let's go to the end of the path." He told her.

She did as he instructed and couldn't help but smile. "Daryl I'm doing it." She exclaimed.

He had to admit he loved it when she was happy and excited. He talked her through turning the truck in the other direction and they drove back down the path.

They ended up practicing for two hours, ending up with her driving on some of the back roads close to the house. "Why don't you just drive us back to the apartment." He told her.

She listened to his instructions when they encountered traffic and ignored the fact that she was technically driving illegally. It turned out Davia really enjoyed driving and she was kicking herself in the ass for waiting this long to get her driver's license.

"You drive well Davia, and you follow instructions good too." He told her.

"I have a good teacher." She said smiling.

She parked in the parking space, lining the truck up perfectly between the lines on her first try and Daryl knew she wasn't going to have any issues passing the test. They spent the rest of the day eating the pizza Davia ordered for dinner and Daryl quizzing her over and over with the questions in the Driving handbook.

"Honey you are gonna do fine. Why don't we plan on going early Friday morning and getting you that license. You will be more than ready by then." He told her. Sure, she still needed practice and some real situations to deal with such as rain, and heavy traffic, but she certainly had already mastered the basic techniques. He was impressed with how smart Davia actually was. She always put herself down because of her learning disability, but she didn't give herself credit for working around it. This was something he needed to work on with her so she would have the confidence to realize how intelligent she was.

Davia had gotten up off the couch to refresh their drinks when there was knock at the door. It was close to eleven and she was concerned that someone would be coming over so late. She opened it up and Beth flung herself into Davia's arms. "I GOT IT!" She exclaimed, a proud Zach standing behind her.

"Beth that is fantastic! Why haven't I heard from you before now?" Davia asked. Daryl was smiling on the couch as he saw how happy Beth looked. He already felt like Beth was a little sister he never had and he knew exactly the pride that Zach was feeling, it was the same way he felt when Davia performed.

"I haven't had a chance. Dale heard me sing then he hired me on the spot. I had to fill out a bunch of paperwork and then he had me start tonight. I actually sang two sets and made eight hundred bucks. Davia I love it. I forgot how good it felt to perform in front of a live audience." She said.

Davia gave Beth a huge hug. One thing Beth had going for her was that she wrote her own songs and performed them, both on the Piano and with a guitar. This was a great opportunity for her and Davia couldn't have been happier to now have Beth as a co-worker.

The two girls continued to chat about schedules and performing together while Zach and Daryl sat on the couch watching their women. "Good to see them happy." Zach told Daryl.

"Yup. We still on for Saturday?" Daryl asked.

"Why don't we bring the girls along and make a day of it. I'm sure they would love nothing better than painting and decorating. Chick's dig that stuff." Zach said.

"When did you become an expert on 'chick's'?" Daryl teased the younger man.

"You live you learn. Anyhow I know Bethy and she would love to help. Once you guys move in you need to throw a big ass party. I'll supply the keg." Zach told Daryl, causing Daryl to laugh out loud.

"Ohhh…" Beth said getting everyone's attention.

"What is it Beth?" Davia asked.

"I found out this morning at the Diner that Rick left Lori. He came home the other night and caught Shane and Lori in the act. Apparently someone had tipped him off that something was going on, so he came home from his shift early and caught them going at it in HIS bed. He beat the shit out of Shane then took Carl and left. He's staying at the Inn down on Main Street."

Daryl felt bad for Rick. He was a class act and didn't deserve to have his life turned upside down like this. "What about the baby?" Daryl asked.

"I'm not sure. My guess is they will need a DNA test when it is born to determine whom the father is. You know Rick and Shane have been best friends since grade school. You know this has gotta hurt." Beth replied.

"Poor Rick. Lori has always been a selfish bitch, and she NEVER thought about anyone else's feelings but her own. She made my life hell in high school." Davia said.

"Really, I knew there was tension between the two of you, but I didn't realize it went back that far. What happened?" Beth asked.

Daryl interrupted knowing Davia didn't want to share the details of what had happened years ago. "Long Story Beth and Davia most likely doesn't want to re-hash all that bullshit." Daryl said. He didn't know Lori, but he knew what she had done to Davia, and he was glad that Rick at least kicked her to the curb. He hoped Rick had the shit beat out of Shane. Daryl hated the arrogant prick, especially after finding out he was trying to make a play for Davia as well.

Davia then spoke "Well I hate that Rick has all his private business spread all over town, but I am Glad he found out now and not five years down the road." Davia said sighing. Rick was such a good guy and he had been so good to her and Daryl during the ordeal with Merle. She wished there were something she could do.

Zach spoke "Look, why don't we have him and the kid over to a BBQ when you get the house ready. Give 'em something to focus on besides the drama at home."

Daryl spoke "That's not a bad idea kid. I know I promised Dale and Irma I would have them over when everything is done too. A BBQ is a good idea, and we can invite your family Beth, a few guys I work with, Carol and her daughter…"

"Are you sure you want to invite her Daryl? You know with her work schedule, and then her husband would probably want to come along…" Davia said, hoping he would read her meaning. Carol was a nice lady, but Davia didn't fully trust her intentions. She suspected that Carol's home life was in such a shambles that she was beginning to look at Daryl as her savior.

"We'll see." He responded.

…

The rest of the week was a whirlwind. Daryl was getting stronger each day and his abdomen was healing up nicely. Carol's suggestion of putting Neosporin on it each night seemed to be working well and the itching had become almost non-existent.

Daryl and Davia had gone furniture shopping at an outlet in Dalton and Davia had worked out quite a deal. Daryl had five grand set aside for furnishings, but Davia revealed she had a sizeable savings account that she was more than willing to kick in since it was going to be "their" home. Daryl found out that Davia was quite a saver and that she would often pull in fifteen hundred to two thousand dollars a week performing at Dale's. Basically she would make five hundred bucks a performance, which was a huge sum of money to someone like Daryl. He made good money doing what he did as an electrician, but it had taken a lot of work and he didn't make anything close to what Davia did. Of course, she was considered self-employed and had to file and pay her own taxes and pay for her health benefits, but she still made a good sum of money. Everything she made outside of performing at Dale's she stuck into a "Fun Fund" as she called it, and apparently she had yet to have fun. There was a sum of seven thousand dollars sitting in it and she used that money to go towards the house.

Davia passed her driving test with flying colors and she now was going on and on to Daryl about what type of vehicle she wanted. They had determined because of Blue Ridge's winter weather and because they lived a good ways down an unpaved path that she would be best getting either a truck or an SUV. So much for the dreams of the BMW she had wanted. Honestly, since meeting Daryl the girl that longed for the 'fancy things' in life had gone away and now she wanted to be a practical woman, just like Daryl.

Daryl was feeling good enough to go to Davia's performance that night and she was excited that he would be there with her. She had spent the day searching for the perfect song to sing to him, and had found one that she thought suited both of them and she couldn't wait to sing it to him. The best part was that her and Beth were going to sing a duet that night as well. It was one that Hershel had requested and he was even bringing Annette out to Dale's for the performance.

Surprisingly, Will Dixon and his wife were still in town. Beth had called to tell Davia that her parent's had invited Will and Jacqui over for dinner. It had pissed Beth off that her father was so quick to overlook Will's misdeeds and she left the house before Will had even showed up. Davia had divulged some of the horrific things Will had done to Daryl when he was younger, and it angered Beth that someone as nice as Daryl had to suffer so much pain so early on in his life. The one thing Beth hadn't heard anymore about was what Daryl was going to do about finding his mother.

In fact, the subject of Daryl's mother hadn't been discussed once since Davia had brought home a drunk Daryl earlier in the week. The box of her belongings was sitting in their closet…untouched. Davia opted not to push Daryl, deciding to let him take point on how he wanted to go about handling the subject.

…

They left for the bar around seven that night as Beth was going to perform at eight, followed up by Davia at nine. Daryl had thrown on a blue button up shirt that Davia had picked out for him and his boots and jeans. There was a ruggedly handsome aspect to Daryl that attracted the ladies, and everything about him drove Davia wild. Each night their make-out sessions were becoming more and more intense and Davia was feeling sexual frustration like she had never thought possible. She had two more weeks before her pills were fully effective, but to be honest, she wasn't sure if she could make it that long. However, Daryl was still under strict Doctor's orders to refrain from "any and all sexual activity" until he was given the all clear. She knew he was struggling with holding back as well.

The bar was packed when they arrived and when people spotted Daryl it was like the Messiah had returned. Numerous people were telling him how glad they were to see he was healing up, and offered their condolences regarding Merle. Daryl wasn't comfortable with the extra attention, but he gritted his teeth and accepted it. They found a table close to the stage and were surprised to see Hershel, Annette, Maggie, Glenn, and Zach had already been seated and have saved a spot for Daryl, Davia, and of course Beth.

Beth's performance was sweet and perky, just like Beth herself. Beth knew how to work a crowd, and Davia couldn't get over what a natural performer she was. Even Daryl had a smile on his face when Beth performed. Zach was beaming like a proud boyfriend and even got a few pats on the back from Hershel.

When Beth finished and returned to the table everyone got up and gave her a hug, including Daryl. Being with Davia had allowed him to let some of his walls down and he would now willingly show some emotion towards others. Not a lot, but enough that people knew how he felt.

Davia took the stage and Daryl thought she looked dazzling. She had worn a pair of white jeans with a black silk top that was low cut and off the shoulder. She had her hair up tonight and had smoky eyes after her make-up application, and of course her silver hoop earrings and a silver choker. She looked sensual and sexy and Daryl was afraid she would realize just how gorgeous she was and dump his redneck ass any moment.

Davia started off her set with a duet with one of the male members of the band…it was that good-looking guy again. Daryl couldn't remember his name, but he tried like hell to keep his jealousy down to a minimum. They sang the Christina Aguilera/Blake Shelton song "Just a fool" and it got the crowd going. It still amazed Daryl how someone as insecure as Davia could go up there and own the stage like she did. This was a talented and confident Davia, and she turned him on to no end.

She performed a few other songs, and then she sat down on a barstool and reached for a guitar. Daryl had heard her play the piano, but he had not heard her play a guitar. Before she sat down to perform, she looked at him and mouthed the words "This is about us"

The song she had chosen was a Three Door's down tune called "It's the only one you've got" and she began to play.

_**How do you know where you're going**_

_**When you don't know where you've been**_

_**You hide the shame that you're not showing**_

_**And you won't let anyone in**_

_**A crowded street can be a quiet place**_

When you're walking alone

_**And now you think that you're the only**_

_**One who doesn't**_

_**Have to try**_

_**And you won't have to fail**_

_**If you're afraid to fly**_

_**Then i guess you never will**_

_**You hide behind your walls**_

_**Of maybe nevers**_

_**Forgetting that there's something more**_

_**Than just knowing better**_

_**Your mistakes do not define you now**_

_**They tell you who you're not**_

_**You've got to live this life you're given**_

_**Like it's the only one you've got**_

_**Memories have left you broken**_

_**And the scars have never healed**_

_**The emptiness in you is growing**_

_**But so little left to fill**_

_**You're scared to look back on the days before**_

_**You're too tired to move on**_

_**And now you think that you're the only one who doesn't**_

_**[Chorus]**_

_**What would it take**_

_**To get you to say that I'll try**_

_**And what would you say if**_

_**This was the last day of your life**_

_**You hide behind your walls**_

_**Of maybe nevers**_

_**Forgetting that there's something more**_

_**Than just knowing better**_

_**Your mistakes do not define you now**_

_**They tell you who you're not**_

_**You've got to live this life you're given**_

_**Like it's the only one you've got**_

_**You hide behind your walls**_

_**Of maybe nevers**_

_**Forgetting that there's something more**_

_**Than just knowing better**_

_**Your mistakes do not define you now**_

_**They tell you who you're not**_

_**You've got to live this life you're given**_

_**Like it's the only one you've got**_

When she finished she stood up and set the guitar down. She looked down at Daryl, and he nodded back at her. She had just sung something that touched him so deeply he wasn't even able to speak. Both of them were so different now that they had each other, but they both needed to let go of their past. Daryl had a feeling deep down in his gut that he needed to make some sort of amends with his father. How was he going to do that? He didn't know, but he knew if he was ever going to be able to let go of his past, he was going to need to face it head on.

…

Davia finished up singing "The Parting Glass" with Beth and then both girls came off the stage to join the Greene Family. The night was exhilarating and everyone was having a good time. Even Daryl was laughing and cutting up with Zach and Glenn. It felt good to enjoy life again.

Daryl was working on his third beer when someone came over and tapped him on the shoulder. It was a guy named Bob who worked security on the weekends at the Bar. "Mr. Dixon, there is someone at the front who is asking for you. You may need to come quickly." He said.

Daryl was confused as to who would be asking for him at the bar, but he got up to check it out. Davia opted to go with him and when they got to the front entrance they found a beaten and battered Carol standing out there, a young little blonde girl clinging to her leg.

Davia spoke first "Carol, what happened?"

Between sobs she managed to get out "My husband…he found out I didn't go straight to work the other day and he wasn't happy. Daryl I think he is going to try to make things bad for you." She said as she began to collapse. Quickly Daryl grabbed Carol to keep her from hitting the ground and Davia took the little girl into her arms, doing her best to shelter the child from the battered mess that was now Carol.

Bob, who was an EMT in his off-hours quickly called 9-1-1 and immediately began to administer first aid to Carol. She was crying and moaning in pain and it was obvious that her husband had done a number on her. Daryl was trying his hardest to calm her down as she began to hyperventilate. "Shhh Carol just take some deep breaths OK. They are gonna take you to the hospital and get ya patched up." He told her.

This was a fucking mess. First of all, what were they going to do with the little girl? She was probably about ten or eleven and if someone didn't take her she would either end up back with her asshole dad or social services would kick in and take her. His slight panic was eased when he heard a familiar voice. Rick Grimes.

"Sophia honey, what happened to your mom?" He asked the crying little girl.

"Mr. Grimes, Daddy hit her over and over and called her a whore. He was drunk again." Sophia said as tears were slipping down the little girl's cheeks.

Davia continued to hold the young girls hand…being all too familiar with being ripped away from your family and being thrust into the nightmare of social services.

Rick continued to ask the girl questions as they brought Carol to the hospital. Daryl turned to Davia "Should we go with her?"

"We can go and check on her, but I think that is about it Daryl. Don't get this wrong, but I think she is starting to turn to you in some weird attempt to get you to take the role of the 'man in her life'. I'm not at all comfortable with this, but it would appear she doesn't really have anyone else."

Rick confirmed Davia's suspicions about Carol not having any other family or friends in the area. Ed had ostracized Carol from everyone in the community, and other than her job, she really didn't spend any time with anyone outside the home. Whenever she tried, Ed would punish her. Rick told them he would take Sophia until Carol was on her feet again, but that this wasn't the first time it had happened. Each time it would happen in the past, Carol would end up refusing to press charges against Ed, which made it impossible for Rick to arrest the sadistic bastard. It was a classic case of an abused spouse, and it saddened both Daryl and Davia, but Carol couldn't continue to try to rely on Daryl to fight her battles. It wasn't fair to either of them and it wasn't fair to Davia either.

…

They arrived home around three in the morning and they were both worn out and exhausted. How such a good night could turn to shit was beyond both of them, but at least this time they weren't directly involved. Carol's predicament was bad, but it wasn't their battle to fight.

Davia surprised Daryl when she stripped off her clothes in front of him, not trying to conceal herself like she normally did. If he wasn't so damn exhausted he probably would have had an instant hard-on, but damn his body was weary. He stripped down to his boxers and dropped his clothes on the floor, just like Davia had done. He knew just how tired she was when she made no attempt to pick up the clothes and throw them in the washer immediately. To be honest, he wished Davia were a little less obsessed with keeping everything so perfect.

Davia molded her body into Daryl's chest. His wounds weren't bothering him near as much now and he relaxed as he felt her warm backside up against him. As he held her he cleared his throat "You know, you were really good with the little girl tonight, where did you learn to handle kids like that?"

"I never learned, I just remember what it was like to be in her situation and what always made me feel a little better. She's lucky she has a place to stay with Rick and Carl. It sucks to be in her situation, and I think both of us have some idea what it is like." Davia told him.

"I made a decision tonight after you finished singing that song. I am going to attempt to try to have some sort of relationship with my father, but I ain't cutting him any slack. I'm also gonna try to find my momma and I'm gonna need your help. I got a lot to do tomorrow with the house, but Sunday I was hoping you could help me go through the letters and see if we can find some clues. Are you willing to help me?" He asked.

"Daryl I will do anything you need me too. I will help you find your mother and hopefully give you some sense of peace. Baby, you deserve some happiness for once in your life."

"I ain't gonna lie Davia, it scares me. It scares me that after everything that happened with my Pa I still want to have some connection to him, and it scares me that I don't know what I'm going to find if I do find my momma. What if she's dead?" He asked.

"Daryl, I wish I could tell you everything was going to be OK, but I can't. I don't want to get your hopes up only to have them smashed in a billion pieces. All I can do is promise you that you won't have to do any of this by yourself…I will be there with you every step of the way. I love you Daryl Dixon and we will find the answers that we need." She said as she drifted off to sleep.

Daryl knew Davia was right. He may not get the answers he wanted, but at least he would have some answer. He wasn't even sure he would even recognize his mother after all these years, but he knew if she was still alive that she could answer questions regarding what had happened all those years ago. There had to be a reason that the letters stopped so abruptly, and Daryl was going to attempt to find out why.

**OK...I knew what I wanted to happen in this chapter, but I struggled putting it into words. I apologize for anything stupid.**

**Please let me know what you think. Some of you have left me some REALLY good ideas and I appreciate each and everyone of them. IT's Ok if you want to leave constructive criticism. **

**Leave your Review's...I am so excited about the return of Beth tonight on TWD. Also, I am not 100% sure I am going to take Carol to crazy town in this story. She does have a little crush on Daryl, but it's out of desperation and loneliness. I haven't decided how far I am going to let it go...Daryl already has a lot of Drama coming in future chapters with finding his mom, trying to start a relationship with his father, and well...we haven't heard the last of Merle...I will leave it at that. **

**ALso, I am going to bring the Rick/Daryl dynamic into this story..I just need to work it in.**

**Thanks Y'all for all of your awesomeness!**

**Love ya-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	13. Chapter 13

Saturday was a busy day for Daryl and Davia. Daryl let Davia drive over to the house and they met Zach and Beth there just after eight in the morning. The house still didn't have power yet, as it hadn't been approved for occupancy. Zach had picked up a generator from his father's business and that would allow them to use some of the power tools they needed and to see if the Well Pump was in good working order.

Beth and Davia threw a tarp over the new kitchen floor and spent the morning painting the kitchen Wedgwood blue and then trimming it out in white. They spent another hour cleaning the windows and finished just in time for the Home improvement store to deliver the kitchen appliances.

Daryl took over in the kitchen making sure that everything was hooked up to his specifications. Being an electrician he was particular how each appliance was connected and to what outlet it ran too. Before he was injured he had managed to re-wire the kitchen up to modern safety codes. Daryl might have been a country boy, be he was particular about just how he wanted the house to be, and if there was anything he wasn't pleased with, he would be sure to push back.

After Daryl was done with making sure everything was good in the kitchen he and Zach were upstairs working on the plumbing in the bathroom. The house was old and Daryl had concerns regarding the durability of the old plumbing pipes. Zach went outside the house, below the bathroom and listened for Daryl to give him the signal as to when to throw on the switch that would turn on the pump and allow the water to make it's way into the plumbing system in the house. It had probably been at least ten years since the water had flowed through any of the pipes.

"Flip it on." Daryl hollered to Zach below.

Zach did as he was instructed and you could hear the pipes creaking as the water pressure began to build and then flow through the old conduits. Suddenly there was a burst of air through the sink in the bathroom and then old rusty water began to rush through the faucet. Daryl smiled briefly before he heard something give way and the pipe underneath the sink burst, spraying water everywhere and quickly flooding the bathroom.

"Shut it off NOW" Daryl yelled as Zach quickly turned off the breaker hearing the urgency in Daryl's voice. He knew something had gone very wrong.

A stream of profanities filled the house and Beth and Davia quickly ran upstairs to find a soaking wet Daryl kicking the bathroom cabinet.

"God Damn pipes are shot, we're gonna have to replace every fucking last one of them." He said voicing his frustration. "God damn plumber is going to cost me out the ass." He grumbled.

Zach joined the frazzled crew within a few minutes and helped Daryl assess the damage. "I know a few plumbers, but they ain't cheap Daryl. You know anyone?" Zach asked him.

"I actually do, but I don't know if I want to go down that road." Daryl said.

"Who is it?" Davia asked, curious.

"My dad. He was a plumber at one time before I was born. He might have been a fucking drunk, but he managed to keep the piece of shit plumbing in our fucked up house running." Daryl stated.

"Daryl you can't be serious after everything he did to you." Beth said.

"Look, I don't need to explain it to ya Beth. He said he wants us to start over, and I've decided to give him a chance. I ain't discussing it anymore. I appreciate your concern but it's my decision." Daryl said, slightly peeved.

Before Davia could intervene Daryl left the bathroom and headed out to his truck to grab a cigarette. He was angry and frustrated, and a part of him hated the fact that Will was the best option at this point.

Meanwhile Beth turned to Davia "I'm sorry Davia, I didn't mean to upset him. I'm going to talk to him and apologize." Beth then also left the bathroom.

"Wait, Beth…"Zach said as Davia grabbed his arm.

"Let her go Zach, Daryl won't bite her." Davia told the younger man.

"What are your thoughts about it?" Zach asked her.

"I worry about Daryl, but he's a grown man and I can't control him. His father seems to have genuinely changed, but it doesn't make up for what he did to Daryl. Maybe Daryl can put away some of the past if he starts over with him. All I can do is be there for him and support his decisions." Davia said sighing.

"I think you're right. Beth just wants to save everyone, and she hates it when people hurt. It's one of the things I like best about her." Zach admitted to Davia.

"She is truly one of the sweetest person's I have ever met. You have yourself a very special lady Zach and I hope you never forget it."

"Trust me, I won't."

…

Daryl was smoking his second cigarette when Beth approached him. "Hey Daryl, I'm sorry if I upset you. It wasn't my intention." She said sweetly.

Daryl just nodded at her, leaving an uncomfortable silence between the two of them.

"Please Daryl, don't make it awkward between us. You and Davia mean the world too me and I just don't want you to get hurt. It's no secret in this town what you had to endure at the hands of your father, and I care too much about you to want anything to get to you like he did once before. Please forgive me." Beth said as she rushed over to Daryl and grabbed him into a hug. It wasn't lost on her how his body immediately tensed up as she wrapped her arms around him, but she felt him finally relax.

Daryl patted her on the back and then pulled away "Ain't no reason to get all sappy. Just something I gotta work through and there ain't no reason for anyone else to get upset. I can take care of myself." He told the younger girl.

"Well I just want you to know, you don't have to do anything alone anymore if you don't want to Daryl. We are all here for you. Now let's get back in the house and figure out what needs to be done next." Beth said, giving him a sweet smile.

…

Daryl and Zach were upstairs fixing the water damage in the bathroom when they heard squealing coming downstairs where the girls were working. They both rushed downstairs to see Beth clutching the phone and Davia jumping up and down with excitement with the radio blaring in the background.

"What the fuck is going on?" Daryl asked, concerned.

"Beth just won four tickets to go see the Foo Fighter's in Atlanta." Davia exclaimed.

"Cool as fuck man." Zach said, now sharing in the girl's excitement.

"We get a hotel stay and a limo ride to the concert." Beth told them.

"Ain't never been to a concert." Daryl mumbled.

"You'll love it" Davia told him excitedly "And it's the Foo Fighter's for God's sake." She said which sent her and Beth into a fit of squeals once again.

"Damn women…I don't think I'm ever gonna understand them." Daryl said amused.

"Makes two of us bro." Zach replied laughing.

They finished up for the day at the house and had decided that after Davia and Beth performed that night at the bar they would move things over to the apartment, and Beth and Zach would stay for the night on the pullout couch.

As Davia was driving Daryl back to town she asked him "You OK?"

"Ya…it just seems weird to be able to pick up the phone to call my old man." He told her.

"You don't have too Daryl, but I understand if you feel like you need too." She told him.

"Thanks." He told her.

…

After the girls' performance that night they got back to Davia's apartment to find a single red rose in a vase sitting in front of the door. "Oh Daryl, this is so sweet." She told him as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Ain't from me." He told her. Zach gave Daryl a look that let him know he wasn't pleased with the possibilities of someone pursuing Davia.

They went into the apartment and Davia read the card "_**My little songbird…I've never forgotten you"**_

Davia dropped the vase when she read the card.

"What is it?" Beth said.

"Only one person ever called me that…and I hate him." Davia replied getting visibly paler.

"Who?" Daryl asked gruffly.

"Him…the one from high school that was friends with Lori. Mitch Dolgen…he used to call me that 'after' what happened. Of course, he was mocking me…"

"What are you talking about Davia?" Beth asked, concerned for her friend's quick change in demeanor.

Davia sighed and looked at Daryl. "I need to tell them" was all she said. Daryl grabbed her hand as she sat down on the couch, as Beth and Zach sat down on the loveseat.

"Can I get a drink first?" She asked.

"You sure you wanna go down that path?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, I am. I know you've got some moonshine stashed in the closet Daryl. Let's start with that…I feel like getting drunk tonight." She said.

Daryl mumbled something about the "list" that neither Beth nor Zach understood, but he got up and came back with a couple of jars of his private stash.

Daryl poured her a drink, and offered some to Beth and Zach. Beth opted to stick with her wine she had brought, but Zach was more than willing to enjoy some of the shine that Daryl was offering.

"Take it easy with this, you ain't really ever drank much and this stuff is strong. Just be prepared." He told her.

She accepted the glass Daryl offered her and quickly took a slug of the clear liquid. It burned like hell going down but it didn't taste that bad. She could feel it hit her belly and felt the warmth envelop her body. There was a hint of strawberry that actually made the drink taste pleasant. Her face, however, gave away the fact that she wasn't used to drinking.

"Where's my camera?" Beth said as she fumbled in her purse for her phone. Everyone let out a laugh as they watched Davia drink the moonshine.

"This is good Shit Dixon." Zach replied.

"Yeah, I ain't gonna bother with anything else." He told 'em.

After a few sips Davia could feel herself relaxing and it felt like the weight of the world was leaving her…and she began to talk.

"OK, so when I was in High School I didn't do well at anything, other than sing. So of course, I naturally gravitated towards the Drama club and chorus. We were doing the play "Evita" and I got the lead role against none other than Lori. She hated me, but said she wanted to make amends, so she invited me to a cast party about a week before the play. She introduced me to this guy Mitch, who was on the football team and he acted like he liked me…one thing led to another and we ended up in her parent's bedroom making out, but things went fuzzy. I think he slipped me one of those date rape drugs or something. Anyhow, I woke up and it was painfully obvious what he had done to me. After that I tried to check out permanently, withdrew from the play, and ended up in a mental health facility. Beth, I think you remember that time but you were only about ten or so when it happened." Davia told them.

Silence. Normally Beth would have been the first person to go over to comfort Davia, but to everyone's surprise Zach got up and embraced the girl "Davia, no one deserves that to happen to them, especially you. You represent everything good in a person, and I hope you pressed charges against the asshole." He said in earnest.

"I couldn't, " she said fighting back tears. "They had it recorded and there wasn't any way to prove it was without my consent." She told them.

Zach released Davia and she fell into Daryl's arms. "Fix me another." She asked and he obliged. "OK, let's get happy again y'all. I don't want to be a downer." She said.

"I ain't never heard of the guy before, and I've lived here my entire life, why is that?" He asked.

"He grew up outside of Blue Ridge, but his parents put him in school for football. After graduation I heard he went into a military career, I'm not really sure why he is back or why he would attempt to contact me." Davia said.

"Fucking Lori Grimes is my guess. Bet she is pissed at ya after what happened the other night, and I bet she blames you for Rick catching her. She probably contacted the bastard and told him you were available. I know one thing, I see the bastard and I'm gonna beat his ass into next week. Shane and Lori are gonna get an earful from me too." Daryl threatened.

"Please can we drop it and enjoy the night." Davia said as she slipped a kiss onto Daryl's neck. He backed down, but his face was stone cold. He was not happy at all about this guy fucking with Davia's head.

As the night passed on Davia managed to get pretty drunk. She giggled and became much less inhibited than usual. She was becoming quite affectionate with Daryl in front of Beth and Zach and Beth was the one who suggested they play "Truth or Dare."

"Aw come on…Really? I'm thirty-six years old and I don't need to play that shit." Daryl said.

"Daryl Dixon, just relax and have fun." Davia told him. He couldn't turn her down.

"Fine" he replied.

"OK, I'll go first." Beth said.

"Daryl, since you were the one complaining, I'm picking on you first. Truth or Dare?"

"Truth." He said.

"OK, how old were you when you lost your virginity?" She asked.

"Sixteen. Does that mean I go next?" He asked.

"Yep." Beth replied.

"OK Beth, Truth or Dare?" He asked.

"Dare." She said boldly.

Daryl thought for a minute and decided he was going to have fun with this, and help his buddy Zach out too. "Why don't you give Zach a lap dance in front of all of us." He said.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Zach exclaimed.

Beth blushed, but before she could chicken out she went over to Zach and straddled him boldly. "I need music." She said.

Davia turned on the stereo and Beth proceeded to grind on Zach's lap. His smile was so big Daryl thought his face was going to split. When the song finished Beth removed herself from Zach's lap, his erection not hidden from anyone.

"Gotta learn some self control their boy." Daryl said.

"I get to go again." Beth said. She was going to get Daryl back.

"Davia, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare." She said giggling.

"Take off Daryl's pants with your teeth." Beth replied.

"Hey wait, it's her Dare…not mine." He said.

"Just like it was my Dare, not Zach's." Beth retorted.

"It's OK, I got it." Davia said. She stood up and stumbled a little as Daryl caught her and she dropped down to her knees in between Daryl's legs.

"I hope your wearing boxers." She said to Daryl, who was turning red.

"Go on, let's see you do this Darling." Daryl replied.

Davia put her hands on Daryl's knees and took his buttonhole into her mouth, easily unbuttoning the top button. She then bit onto his zipper and slowly slid it down. Daryl let out an audible groan as she smiled up at him from between his legs seductively. He wondered if her and Beth had planned this out.

Davia continued her assignment, pulling down one side a little, and then working the other side of his jeans slowly. It didn't take long before he was clad in his boxers with his jeans pooled around his feet.

"OK, that's good enough." Zach said. Davia quickly helped Daryl get his jeans on just like Zach, but he now had an obvious erection as well.

Beth teased "Gotta learn to control yourself boy…"

Daryl grumbled as they all broke out into a fit of laughter. There was no doubt they were all having a great time.

Around three in the morning Daryl helped a very drunk Davia up off the couch to take her to bed. "Hold on one sec…you need to drink a big glass of ice water, it will help with the hangover in the morning."

"But if I do that then I will have to pee." She said, slurring out the word 'pee'…

"Trust me, that's gonna be the least of your problems Ms. Davia." He said to her. He actually liked how forward the alcohol made Davia. If she hadn't been drinking he knew there was no way in hell she would have done what she did with her mouth in front of everyone. He began to wonder just what else she could do with that mouth of hers.

…

Across town while the four friends were enjoying themselves, Rick Grimes was at the hospital with Carol. She had a fractured wrist and a concussion, along with numerous lacerations and bruises. He had known for a long time what Ed did to his wife, but was unable to do anything about it unless Carol was willing to press charges.

"Carol, please…I'm imploring you, you have to press charges this time. It's not safe for you or Sophia."

"Rick, I have no where to go, no family, nothing. I can't afford to live on my own with what I make." She told him.

"But you're a nurse, you should be taking in good money." He told her.

"I was, but Ed got into tax trouble and they are garnishing my wages since we were married at the time. Over half of my check goes to health insurance and the IRS. He at least helps with Sophia." She said trying to justify why she stayed with him.

"Yeah, I have some concerns about that as well…do you think he could be taking inappropriate actions with her? She said something about him touching her when you were at work. Carol, I could start an investigation."

"No please…don't do that. I don't want to put her through that. I will press charges, but I don't have anywhere to go." She pleaded.

"Carol, look…we work opposite schedules. Monday I'm closing on a new house, I guess you have heard by now what happened with Lori and me…and I would like to propose a deal. How about you move in with me, help me with Carl and the house, and then it's a win-win for everyone."

"Really Rick, you would consider that? You don't know me that well." She said.

"Carol, I know you well enough, and I know Sophia and Carl are best friends. I see it as us each helping each other out during a tough time. Please consider it. We can press charges against Ed and get him put away where he can't hurt anyone else."

Carol leaned back against the pillow and sighed. "If I do this, will I be able to collect my belongings without him being there?"

"I will make sure of it, and just to make it even easier, I will be there to help you. So it's a deal?" He asked.

"It's a deal Rick. I don't know how I can ever repay you." She said.

Rick took a look at her face with a relaxed smile and thought to him self "she just did."

…

Around six in the morning Davia made her first trip to the bathroom to throw up. Daryl being the doting partner that he was, accompanied her and held her hair as she heaved with all her might. He knew it was going to happen, and he was prepared to get her through her first hangover.

After an hour of her retching to the point she had the dry heaves, he turned on the shower for her and helped her get in. She felt so bad she didn't even care that he saw her naked, however, not being one to want to take advantage of a bad situation, he turned his head and gave her some privacy.

"Thank you Daryl." She managed to get out. He waited for her to finish then handed her a towel as she slid back the curtain to get out.

"Can you get me some clothes." She said as she stepped out of the shower and began to brush her teeth, trying with all her might not to puke again.

Daryl did as she asked and went to her drawers to get her some pajama bottoms and a T-shirt she could slip on. He was slightly taken back when he began to pilfer through her underwear drawer to get her some panties to wear. He couldn't believe all the sexy panties and bra's she had in the drawer. "Damn, has she been wearing this underneath her clothes all along? Damnit Davia even while you are puking your guts out you still manage to turn me on."

He brought her the clothes and he made his way out into the living room where Zach and Beth were beginning to wake. Daryl had a lot of experience with drinking, and decided that since Davia was drinking in earnest for the first time, he would pace himself so he could keep an eye on her. After seeing her this morning, he was glad he made that decision.

"Morning Daryl. How's Davia?" Beth said as he walked through the living room to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.

"Rough. Poor girl just spent the last hour hugging the toilet. I'm gonna make a good strong pot of coffee and see if I can find her some saltines. That will help with the nausea." He told them.

Davia dragged herself out into the living room, looking like a disheveled mess. Zach laughed when he saw her. "Damn girl, where's the bus that hit you?"

"Ha Ha…not funny." She groaned.

"The key to getting over a hangover is drink lot's of fluids Davia. The headache is because of dehydration. I know it's probably the last thing you want to do, but for now it's what you gotta do." Beth told her.

Davia sat down on the love seat and Daryl met her with another glass of ice water. She began to drink it greedily, realizing just how thirsty she was.

Zach put on the morning news and the four-some sat around as they waited for the biscuits Daryl was warming up to finish. Davia would moan every time she moved, and Daryl was getting a bit of kick out of it…but he knew how bad she was feeling, considering he was in the same condition a few days earlier after finishing off the fifth of Southern Comfort.

"Never again…I will never drink again." Davia said.

"We've all said that before Davia. Trust me…you say that now, but you won't feel that way in a couple of days, you just learn how to handle it better." Zach told her.

They all laughed again and the laughter was interrupted by Beth's phone ringing.

"Hello." She said.

All the color left Beth's face and she dropped the phone, sobbing.

"Bethy what is it?" Zach said as he quickly grabbed her into his arms.

"Momma and Shaun…they were in an accident last night, they just found the car down in a ravine. They didn't make it." And with that last statement, Beth collapsed as her world had just been ripped away from her.

No one knew what to say or do. How do you handle the news that your mother and brother that you saw the previous night were now gone…Forever?

**First of all...if you check out the reviews I received, I got a nasty "flame" from someone...I left a response, so if you want to read a little drama, it's there for you to see. **

**This was kind of filler chapter, I have a lot that has to happen, but I want to build up the story to get to that point. Next chapter we will deal with Beth, Daryl and Will, and the early stages of the sexual relationship with Davia and Daryl. Also, we are going to find out some things about Daryl's mother...I think when you hear what is in the letters you will understand some of what may or may not have happened. But that's because we have all seen the show and a very important character in the show is going to be introduced.**

**It's walking Dead time y'all so have a great night!**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	14. Chapter 14

**A bit of a quicker update...**

Beth was recovering from her fainting spell and Davia was by her side, holding the girl tight. Daryl had got up to get Beth a glass of water and a frazzled Zach was in the process of calling Maggie.

Maggie answered the phone and Zach could tell that Beth's older sister wasn't doing much better.

"Hey Mags…Is Glenn with you?" Zach asked.

Maggie handed the phone to Glenn, who was obviously doing better than his new bride "Hello."

"Glenn, where are you guys?" Zach asked.

"We are at the scene of the accident. They are trying to get the car out of the ravine, Shaun and Annette are still inside." Glenn said sadly.

"Who all is with you?" Zach asked.

"Hershel, Maggie, and a good portion of the Blue Ridge fire department. Officer Grimes is here too. How's Beth?"

"Not too good. She fainted after getting the call from Hershel. Where should we go right now?" Zach asked.

"I think Maggie and Hershel could use Beth here with them right now. Is she up to it?" Glenn asked.

"We'll be there shortly." Zach said, after getting the information as to where they were.

Even though Zach was only Beth's boyfriend, the Greene family was like his own extended family. He and Beth had been together for four years and Annette and Hershel treated Zach like he was one of their own. Annette was kind and loving and Hershel had offered Zach good advice when he needed it. Shaun and Zach were the same age and it was through Shaun that Zach met Beth. There were times when Zach didn't get along with his own father and Hershel had been there for support. Losing Annette and Shaun cut him deeply, but he knew Beth's relationship with her family went much deeper…deeper than most.

Daryl was visibly upset about everything that just happened, but he was way out of his comfort zone on what to do. "I'll get the truck and take y'all to the accident scene." He told them. Zach nodded in appreciation and the four of them got in Daryl's truck, with Zach and Davia consoling Beth in the extended cab while Daryl drove them to the ravine.

When they arrived they had a winch and were slowly pulling the car up from the bottom of the massive drop-off. The plunge had been more than four hundred feet and as the car made it back to the top of the ravine it was obvious that no one could have survived the accident. A tarp had been placed over the car, keeping any onlookers from seeing the carnage inside. Hershel insisted that they let him see his wife and stepson before they removed the bodies.

Hershel tried to keep it together, but when he saw the bodies he collapsed to his knees, his grief overwhelming him. Beth and Maggie quickly ran to their father to support him, but it was hard to tell just who was supporting whom.

Davia and Zach made their way to Glenn who looked like he was barely holding on himself. Daryl opted to take a closer look at the car and was met by Rick who was also examining the wrecked vehicle. Daryl noted there was blue paint along the front passenger side bumper and pointed it out to Rick.

"Something ain't right here Rick. It looks like the car came in contact with another vehicle." Daryl told him pointing to the blue paint.

Rick nodded and stooped down to take a closer look. "Based on where this is, It looks like someone crossed over the center line and forced the car to the left and then momentum pushed it over the cliff. You can see where it broke through the guardrail. I also noticed there is part of a headlight over there on the side of the road, with traces of blue paint and obviously not part of the Greene's car."

"Drunk driver?" Daryl asked.

"Possibly. Your pretty observant Daryl, you ever consider becoming a cop?" Rick asked.

"Naw they don't usually hire guys like me for jobs like that. Reckon I'm destined to be an electrician for the rest of my life." Daryl said, slightly amused at Rick's comment.

"Daryl that's not true. You seem to have a knack and a good demeanor for this type of stuff. Why don't you call me tomorrow and we can talk about it." Rick said.

Daryl looked at Rick like he had grown a second head "Yeah, I'll do that." He said. Not really knowing what came over him, Daryl asked Rick another question "How's Carol?"

"She's doing better, I still have Sophia with Carl and I, but she has agreed to press charges. Her and I came up with a mutual agreement and she and Sophia will be staying with Carl and me for a while." Rick told him.

A sudden sense of relief flooded Daryl as Rick told him the news. Carol would be taken care of, and it looked like she would be able to rely on Rick now to help her out. Not that Daryl minded helping Carol, but she just made it awkward with Davia and him.

"That's good to hear. Hope they throw the bastard in jail for a long time. Any man that would do that to his wife and kids deserves to rot." Daryl said, recalling once again his past with his own father.

Rick nodded in agreement. "We will do everything we can to put him away for a long time. I'm just glad Carol is safe for now."

…

Daryl and Davia stayed with Beth and Zach for most of the morning. They brought them back to the Greene farm and Daryl assured Zach that he and Davia would bring his car by as soon as they got back to the apartment.

After they returned Zach's car, Davia and Daryl went back to the apartment and Davia opted to lie down. Her hangover was kicking her ass and Daryl felt bad for her. He doubted she would want to drink anytime soon after last night's escapades.

Daryl found himself alone with his thoughts. So much had happened over the past few months he didn't know how he hadn't lost his mind. Then he thought "Davia…she's kept me sane." Daryl liked the idea that he didn't have to go through all of his turmoil alone anymore. To be honest, he never wanted to be alone again, and he wanted Davia with him for all of eternity. He wanted to make her his wife. But how could he rationalize marrying someone he had known for such a short time. Hell, he was surprised he could even imagine getting married after witnessing the disaster that was his parent's marriage. He needed someone to talk too, and he considered Zach, but right now Zach was preoccupied with keeping Beth together after losing half her family. He wondered whom else he could talk too, and one name kept popping in his head…Rick.

Daryl didn't know Rick that well, but what he did know of the man he appreciated. Rick seemed to always have a level head, and the few times that Daryl had dealt with him when Merle was in trouble Rick was fair. Nothing like his asshole partner, Shane. Shane had committed the ultimate breach in any friendship, and that was fucking your best friend's wife. However, most of the people Daryl had been exposed too in his life were a lot more like Shane than Rick. It was one of the reasons why Daryl struggled trusting people.

Daryl picked up his cell phone and decided he would call his father. His hands shook a little as he made the call with part of him hoping his father didn't answer. Daryl truly needed his father's help at the moment, and if Daryl were going to establish some type of relationship with the old man, then maybe this would be a good start.

"Hello" he heard his father's voice on the other end of the line.

"Do you think you can help me with something? How much longer are you in town?" was Daryl's response, no pleasantries included.

"A few more days. What's up son?" Will replied.

"I need help with some plumbing issues at my house, was hoping you still knew what you were doing when it came to fixing old pipes." Daryl stated.

"Sure son, where and when?" Will asked.

"Tomorrow morning around eight, it's the old Homestead off of Apple Orchard Rd. You know where I'm talking about?" Daryl asked.

"Irma Horvath's old family home?" He inquired.

"Yeah, can you be there?" Daryl asked.

"Sure thing, but I don't have any tools with me, do you have anything I can use?"

"I got plenty of tools, I just suck at plumbing and I can't afford to hire anyone right now." Daryl told him.

"I'll see you in the morning." Will told him.

Daryl hung up the phone and let out a breath he had been holding. He soon heard water running and Davia singing. She must be feeling a little better after her shower. Shortly thereafter she walked out into the living room looking a lot better than she had earlier.

"I feel human again." She told him as she plopped down beside him on the couch and took his face in her hands, offering him a gentle kiss.

"Ya look better too, no offense." He told her, receiving a light hit on his shoulder from her.

"Do you still want to see what we can find out about your mom today? With everything that happened with Beth this morning I wasn't sure if you still wanted to do that." Davia asked.

"Yeah, I would. Let me get the box." He told her as he got up and retrieved the box from the closet. He returned quickly and set the box down on the coffee table in front of them.

For a moment they both stared at the box, not really knowing what to do. So Davia suggested they sort the letters in order of date, oldest to newest. After she was done she said, "Do you want me to start reading these first?"

"Do ya mind?" He asked. Davia noticed how pensive Daryl looked. This had to have been hard for him.

"OK…let's see what we have here." She picked up the first letter. "OK this one is short."

**Letter 1-Daryl age two**

_**My Dearest boys-**_

_**I miss you both so much. Merle I hope you read this to your little brother, as I know he is too small to read, and probably understand, so I hope you explain it to him. I know what I did was wrong, but I had to leave or He would have killed me. I love you both so very much and I will get you back one day…I Promise.**_

_**Love Always-**_

_**Mommy**_

"That's it?" Daryl questioned.

"She was probably terrified of Will at the time and didn't really know what to say. I mean, how do you try to justify to a two-year-old and a ten- year-old that you basically had to abandon them. It does look like she had intentions of trying to get you guys back." Davia was trying to explain to Daryl, but the look on his face showed he wasn't completely buying her explanation.

"You know, it ain't never set well with me that a momma would leave their babies. In the wild, a momma will kill to protect her young. I just don't get how she could do it…I never could." Daryl said sadly.

"Look, you know how Will was. Let's read some more and see if there are some explanations." Davia said, trying to be optimistic. She knew how bad it hurt to grow up without a mom, but in her case she didn't have a father either…no one but a cold foster family to take care of her. She was at least thankful she wasn't stuck in an orphanage.

Letter 2-Daryl age three

_**Merle and Daryl-**_

_**Today is Daryl's birthday and I wish so much I could be with my little man as he turns three years old. Merle I pray you are being strong for the both of you. You are a smart and strong son and I know you will do everything you can to protect the both of you from your Father. Please know he wasn't always such a horrible man, but the alcohol and drugs have destroyed what he once was. I pray everyday that I can find forgiveness in my heart for what he has done to me and our family. I want you boys with me so much, but if I try to take you, he has threatened to hurt you, and I couldn't live with myself if that ever happened. I know your Father, and he means what he says…no matter how hurtful. **_

_**I love you both so very much and I will see you again-I promise.**_

_**Mommy**_

"So what do you think?" Davia asked Daryl, who had a pained look on his face.

"Merle never told me about these letters, and it hurts. Why would he not share them with me? Don't make sense. Just to know she thought about me on my birthday would have meant the world to me at that age." Daryl told her.

"It sounds like she felt she would endanger you two if she tried to come get ya. Daryl, she was hurting so bad, can't you see how badly she wanted you both back? She also mentions that your dad wasn't always bad…probably like he is now. The drugs and alcohol made him that way." Davia said.

"You ain't trying to take up for him are ya?" Daryl asked, slightly defensive.

"God no Daryl. I am just saying that maybe you trying to establish some sort of relationship with him isn't in vain." She said trying to reassure him.

"Cordial is about the best I think we will ever be able handle." Daryl said. "Read the next one."

**Letter 3-Merles twelfth birthday.**

_**Happy Birthday my oldest boy…you are growing into a man and I can hardly believe it. I have been away from you and your brother for too long, and it is killing me. I have decided to go out west to find a decent job so that I can legally get custody of the two of you. There are people who help with things like this, but it costs money. Please don't tell your father. I know there is a chance he will read these letters, but knowing him, he won't bother because he doesn't want to be reminded I was part of his life once. **_

_**I have enclosed a little money for you to share with Daryl…take him to get some ice cream, but don't tell your father you have it, or he will most likely take it.**_

_**Love-**_

_**Mom**_

Daryl was quiet after Davia read the letter. "What is it Daryl? We can stop if you want." She told him.

He shook his head no, but still didn't speak.

"Daryl, talk to me, tell me what's going on." She said insistently.

"I remember that day…Merle did take me to get ice cream, and then he took me to the park afterwards. It was one of the very few happy memories I have as a kid, but I didn't know…I didn't know it was her. God Damn Merle for not telling me. He told me he found the money. He never fucking mentioned one time that it had come from her. I thought she didn't care and I thought she had abandoned us." He said, his voice now trembling with anger.

"Daryl, Merle most likely didn't know how to handle everything going on at the time. He had his whole world ripped from him when she left, and he had more time to know her than you did. Hell Daryl, he was only ten when she left. More than likely he just wanted to keep what little contact they had to himself, it was all he had." Davia told him, trying herself to understand why Merle would have never shared this information with Daryl after all these years, not until he was on his deathbed.

"Don't make it right. I swear if Merle was here in front of me I would kick his ass." Daryl told her, still angry.

"And then what? Look, it's obvious he knew he messed up keeping this from you, if he didn't know it he wouldn't have told you about it. He carried this guilt with him up until the very end. Please Daryl, don't let this kill you on the inside. The past is the past and their isn't anything you could have done differently. Even if you had known what would you have done? Merle knew, and he didn't do anything to find her, and there must have been a reason for it." Davia said, rubbing her hands on his leg trying to soothe him.

"Still don't make it easier. I feel like I was fucking robbed. What do I do now Davia?" He asked almost in a child like voice?

"Do you want me to read some more?" She asked.

"Yeah, might as well finish these up and see if we can figure out where she is." Daryl said.

Letter 4-Daryl age nine

_**Merle, thank you for writing me back. Montana is a lovely place and I am making good money out here grooming horses. I never knew how much I loved the outdoors and taking care of animals. I am working on a big ranch out in Montana, and I have become good friends with the ranch owner. He is so charming and kind. I've mentioned you boys to him, and his heart aches for what I have gone through being separated from you both. **_

_**As soon as I have enough money saved I am going to fly you and your brother out for a visit. Unfortunately the idea of me getting custody of you two isn't going to work as planned. The attorney I visited with told me I didn't go about things the correct way and that I could be determined to have been an "abandoning" parent. I never meant for this to happen…I truly want nothing more than to have my two sons with me. **_

_**Please tell me you are well Merle. From the last letter I received from you, I sensed that something has changed in you. Please don't be bitter, and more than anything, please protect Daryl from Will. Daryl is getting old enough now where Will might begin to lash out at him in a more violent way, and Daryl isn't as strong as you…Please Merle, do this for me.**_

_**Love you always-**_

_**Momma**_

"She thought I was weak? I'm a Dixon, we ain't weak…" was all Daryl could say.

"I don't think it was her saying you were weak, it was saying that you were small and an easy target, and let's be honest, you were. Daryl at this point she had been gone seven years and she still wanted you boys with her more than anything." Davia said trying to soothe him. She was beginning to see Daryl unravel and was thinking that maybe this had been a huge mistake. Finally Davia stood up and dropped the box firmly on the floor.

"STOP IT DARYL. I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF!" She shouted at him. It was very rare for Davia to ever raise her voice, but when she did, she meant business.

He didn't say anything, but his facial features softened slightly.

"Come on, Let's go out on the balcony and you smoke a cigarette, you need to unwind for a minute." She told him, gently taking his hand and leading him out to the balcony.

He still didn't say anything as she led him outside, but he flopped down in one of the chairs, almost defeated, and lit up a cigarette. He inhaled so deeply that Davia thought he might explode.

"Daryl, please talk to me. Let me know what you are thinking…feeling. I can't help you if you don't communicate." Davia said in frustration.

"I feel like my life was a fucking lie. My entire family lied to me about everything. My dad always told me I was a weak piece of shit, and I ain't. Merle let me believe my momma abandoned us and didn't want anything to do with me, and that was lie. Makes me wonder what else in my life is a lie." Daryl admitted.

"Well I can tell you this Daryl, and it's the absolute truth…I love you with every breath I take and I will never leave you, unless you want me too. You can't let the past destroy you, it has made you who you are, and I like that man." Davia said, trying to reassure him.

"How many more letters in the box?" He asked, his voice much softer now.

"Two, and one is unopened and addressed to only you. I am going to let you read that one yourself. I will be there with you, but I think you need to read your mother's words on your own for this one." Davia told him.

Letter 5 Daryl Age 12 Merle and Daryl-

_**I haven't heard from either of you and I am worried. I have tried to contact old acquaintances in Blue Ridge and no one has said they have seen you boys in quite some time. Please, either one of you if you can, send me a letter back to the address at the bottom of this letter. **_

_**I have some news for you boys, your mother has met someone very special who is willing to help me get you boys back in my life. Merle, I know you are old enough now not to need your Father's permission to come out and live with me and I hope you consider this offer. Montana is a beautiful state and I think you would love it here. I remember how you used to love to hunt and fish, and I am sure you would love it even more out here. **_

_**There is so much to offer out here for both of you, and Merle I am sure you could find a job. Please at least contact me and let me know you are OK. Daryl- Momma wants to see you so much. I can just imagine the handsome young man you have grown into. **_

_**There is so much I want to say to both of you, It's been ten long grueling years, but I know we can put things back together again, I feel it deep in my heart.**_

_**I never stopped loving you and I will always look forward to the day we can be together as a family again.**_

_**Love you both**_

_**Momma**_

Davia finished reading the letter and then handed Daryl the last one so he could read it himself. His hands shook as he opened it up, and he began to read it out loud, softly.

Letter 6-Unopened- Addressed to Daryl only Daryl Age 14

_**Daryl-**_

_**I am addressing this to you as I received a letter from Merle telling me he has been in a bit of trouble as of late. Daryl I must admit, I know nothing about you. I wish you would write or call but if you are angry with me I completely understand. I am getting married next month, which means you will have a new stepfather. He has helped me through much in life, but I can never get over the guilt I feel for leaving you. I often wonder if I should have stayed and endured what your Father put me through so I could take care of you and Merle. It seems I have lost Merle forever, but I can't even claim that I have lost you, as I don't even know that I ever found you.**_

_**Daryl honey-My heart aches with emptiness knowing we have been apart for so long. You were just a small boy when I left, and I only have one very worn out photo of you and Merle. I don't even know if you would recognize me if you saw me, but I know in my heart that I would know you, call it a Mother's instinct.**_

_**Even though I have found happiness with someone else, I will never be completely happy knowing you aren't with me. Son, you and Merle were my world, but I loved you so much I couldn't risk Will killing you. I still pray each night that he finds peace and can find his way back to how he once was. Maybe he already has and that is why I haven't heard from you. **_

_**I have spent years begging my sweet Merle to take care of you, but I think that I might just turn around and ask you to do the same for him. Something seems to have broken Merle's spirit and I have suspicions as to what it could be, but I want to lie to myself and tell myself that it isn't. **_

_**Daryl-Please keep an eye on Merle. The last letter he sent me I sensed anger and bitterness. I was thrilled to hear from him, but not happy to hear how broken he was. He said you wanted nothing to do with me either, since I left you both, but I hope you reconsider my sweet son. I don't know how many times I can tell you that everything I did, I did for you boys. **_

_**I promise to keep writing you until I hear from you. After my wedding if I haven't heard from you, I am going to fly to Georgia to find you so we can at least meet face to face. I love you honey.**_

_**Love**_

_**Momma**_

_**P.S. After I get married my new last name will be Blake.**_

Well at least now Daryl had a name to look for…Nora Blake. But why did she never return to Blue Ridge like she promised?

...To be continued...

**I didn't really want to continue on with this chapter, so I broke it up after they read the letters. Did you catch the last name?**

**Please leave me a quick review and let me know what ya think. You guys mean so much to me!**

**Thanks-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	15. Chapter 15

*****I want to send out a special thanks to ArcheryLefty for offering the brilliant idea of how to bring Michonne into this story. I love ideas and suggestions, so if you have one, feel free to offer it.**

*****WARNING-SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL**** **

Davia and Daryl spent the next few hours searching the Internet trying to locate Daryl's mother. Unfortunately, there was hundreds of 'Nora Blake's' spread throughout the country, and at least thirty listed in Montana, her last known location.

"Daryl, we're gonna need more help. I wonder how much a Private Investigator would cost?"

"How about a lawyer? My father's step-daughter is an attorney, maybe she could help." Daryl said.

"Oh, I bet she could. Since you are going to see your father tomorrow, maybe he could help. It's the least he could do since this is mostly his mess to begin with." Davia quipped.

Daryl couldn't disagree with her, because she had a valid point. At first Daryl felt a little weird about asking his father for help with anything, but Davia helped him realize Will Dixon owed him, and Daryl was going to take advantage of any help he could get.

It was around eight at night and Davia was lying up against Daryl's chest on the couch, the two of them were engrossed in a movie and relishing each other's company. Daryl was healing up nicely and had pulled Davia to his body, not worried about his wounds aching anymore. He would get the stitches and staples out later in the week and to be honest, he was ready to return to work, but the Doctor had him out for an additional three weeks.

Davia's cell phone rang and she answered it, hearing Zach on the other line.

"Hey Davia, I know it's late, but I need your help. We can't get Bethy to respond to anyone, and I was wondering if you would mind riding on out and seeing if you could try to get through to her. I'm really worried about her." He said, fear in his voice.

"Anything Zach, but what about Hershel and Maggie?"

"Hershel's disappeared, and Maggie is beside herself trying to figure out what to do next. Glenn is going to see if he can go find Hershel." He replied.

"We're on our way." Davia said.

Daryl and Davia were out the door within five minutes of the phone call and at the Greene Farm within fifteen. Zach greeted them at the door "Beth's upstairs in her room with Maggie."

Davia Replied "Daryl why don't you and the other two men go see if you can find Hershel while Maggie and I tend to Beth."

"You got it" Daryl replied leading Zach and Glenn out to his truck, but not before giving Davia a quick kiss before he left.

Davia made her way upstairs to Beth's room. Maggie was sitting in a chair beside Beth's bed watching her little sister that was in an almost catatonic state.

"Beth honey, It's me Davia…" But Beth didn't respond.

Not really knowing what to do, Davia looked to Maggie, who in return shrugged her shoulders letting her know she didn't know what to do either. Davia opted for sitting down on the bed beside Beth, and then pulling Beth into a hug. Beth kept her body stiff, not acknowledging that Davia was even there with her.

"Sweetie, I need you to talk to me, you're scaring us." Davia said softly.

There was no response, nothing. If Beth hadn't blinked Davia would have sworn she was dead. Desperate now to get Beth to come out of her stoic state, Davia wrapped her arms around Beth and began to sing softly, rocking the younger girl as she sang, music being one Beth's true loves:

_**Blackbird singing in the dead of night**_

_**Take these broken wings and learn to fly**_

_**All your life**_

_**You were only waiting for this moment to arise.**_

_**Blackbird singing in the dead of night**_

_**Take these sunken eyes and learn to see**_

_**All your life**_

_**You were only waiting for this moment to be free.**_

_**Blackbird fly Blackbird fly**_

_**Into the light of the dark black night.**_

_**Blackbird fly Blackbird fly**_

_**Into the light of the dark black night.**_

_**Blackbird singing in the dead of night**_

_**Take these broken wings and learn to fly**_

_**All your life**_

_**You were only waiting for this moment to arise**_

_**You were only waiting for this moment to arise**_

_**You were only waiting for this moment to arise.**_

As Davia finished singing Beth's body began to shake with sobs. "Mama, I miss my mama so much." She cried out softly. Immediately Maggie was up and on the other side of her younger sister, both women now sandwiching the girl into a hug.

Beth continued to sob, letting out all of her pent up emotion. Maggie softly began to speak to her little sister "Let it out Bethy, it's OK. You can't let this destroy you, you're Mama wouldn't want it that way. You have got to keep living Beth, it's what she would have wanted."

For an hour Davia and Maggie comforted Beth until she finally fell asleep in Davia's arms. They heard the men return and Maggie motioned for Davia to go check on things "Davia thank you so much for what you have done, I've got things under control here…can you go check on Daddy?"

Davia agreed and quietly left the room and headed downstairs. Zach and Glenn were helping Hershel, who was stumbling, into his room. Davia looked at Daryl and he quickly ran to her, taking her into his arms.

"He relapsed. We found him at an old bar on the outskirts of town. Hershel is one of the strongest men I know…and for him to fall apart like this, I can't help but wonder about my father." Daryl admitted.

Davia hugged him tighter "Does that mean you still care what happens to him?"

"I reckon I still do. After all he did to me I still can't let go of the fact that he is still my father. I always wondered what he would have been like if he was sober, and he ain't that bad the way he is now. Does that mean I forgive him? No, it doesn't, but we can at least attempt to be civil to each other going forward. If I keep holding onto the past, it's gonna kill me, and it will haunt me in everything I do in the future. It's not what I want to do, but its what I gotta do." He admitted to her.

Davia nodded in agreement. She knew it was hard for Daryl to trust people, and for him to make this leap into attempting to have a relationship with is father, was a huge step forward for Daryl's emotional development. But Davia, like Daryl, was weary of what could happen. Right now Will had all the power, and he could either help Daryl heal, or rip the wounds from his past wide open.

…

As they were leaving the Greene farm Davia noticed how cold the November air was. "Winter's gonna be here soon." She told Daryl.

"Yep, and we will be enjoying that big old fireplace at our home soon." He told her.

"How long do you think it will be before we can move in?" She asked.

"Depending on how successful we are tomorrow getting the plumbing fixed, I think it could be a week or two tops." He told her.

"Really that soon? I can't believe it. I've got so much packing to do." She told him.

"We'll get it done, don't worry about it." He told her.

"Daryl, this is gonna sound crazy, but can we run by the house now? I don't want to go back to the apartment…we could even test out the fireplace." She told him.

"I don't know Davia, it's late and I have to be back over there pretty early in the morning to meet my dad." Daryl told her.

"Please?" She asked, dragging out the word and batting her long eye lashes at Daryl.

"Fine." He told her, knowing he couldn't resist her when she played him like that.

They made the short trip out to the house and Daryl pulled out a flashlight from the glove compartment to light the way to the front door. Davia pulled out a horse blanket that Daryl had in the back of his truck and they entered the house. Daryl found a few logs still stacked in the back in an old woodpile and went to building a fire in the grand fireplace. Within a few minutes they had a good size fire going and Davia had placed the blanket down on the floor in front of the hearth.

Davia pulled out her phone and set it up so music would play, creating a nice romantic atmosphere. She sat down on the blanket and then patted the space beside her, which was quickly occupied by Daryl. "Daryl I love you." She told him boldly. When Davia first met Daryl she was a quiet insecure girl who questioned why Daryl would give her the time of day, now she had confidence, and she liked how it felt.

"What's this all about?" He asked her.

"I just wanted to be here alone with you, away from everything. This is our future and I wanted to get a head start on it." She said as she placed her hands on each side of his face and pulled him to her, giving him a passionate kiss.

Their lips touched and immediately a spark of electricity shot through both of their bodies. Davia's lips parted and Daryl's soft tongue entered her mouth and she let out a breathy groan. The kiss continued and Daryl gently laid Davia down as he was now above her, looking into her beautiful brown eyes that were full of love and passion. He continued to kiss her and then pulled away placing his lips on her neck and then moved to her collarbone, lavishing her with his tongue.

Davia's body began to tingle and she pulled Daryl against her body, and without thinking she thrust her hips up against him. Now he was the one letting out a moan. His hands slid down her sides and he began to push her shirt upwards, eventually removing it. He was treated to a view of her in a black and white lace bra, looking up at him hungrily, her hair cascading around her like a painting of Ophelia. He was hesitant and Davia sensed it "Don't stop Daryl…I'm ready for this." She told him.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

She nodded and pulled his body flush to hers, sliding his shirt up and over his head. He removed her bra and let his hands glide across her breasts, feeling her hardened peaks against the palms of his hands. Davia shivered and then began to reciprocate as she let her hands run across his torso. She could feel his scars and stitches and she quietly replied "Please let me know if this is uncomfortable."

Daryl knew at this point she could have stabbed him with a knife and he wouldn't feel it. Testosterone was flooding his body and he was fighting the urges to take her right away. But this was Davia, his Davia, and he wanted to give her so much more than just a quick pounding…he wanted to make true and proper love to her. This needed to be sweet and gentle, because Davia was sweet and gentle.

Daryl continued devouring her with his mouth, taking her right nipple into his mouth and lapping at it with his tongue. Davia's response was a whispered "Oh God" and it caused Daryl's engorged manhood to pulse. She traced her fingers down his stomach and below his belly button, quickly finding the button to his jeans and unfastening it. Just the feel of her hands on his body was sending sensations throughout his entire lower half. She unzipped his pants and quickly slid them down and he stopped suckling her breast just long enough to discard them to the side.

Daryl was now clad in his boxers and his hardened mass was straining to get out. It had been a long time since he had even had sex, and he had never had a sexual encounter with anyone that he was actually in love with. This was new and different, and he didn't think he had ever been so aroused in his entire life.

Daryl slid his hands down Davia's sides to her hips and then made quick work of her jeans. The two of them were intertwined with each other, clad only in thin layers of undergarments. Daryl stopped and took the sight of Davia underneath him bathed in the light of the fire and thought she looked angelic. He gently slid his hands to the waistband of her black panties and slid them down carefully, feeling her body shiver in anticipation.

"Are you still OK?" He asked.

She answered by reaching up and sliding off his boxers. His arousal sprung forward and Davia gasped as her hand brushed along it. She had seen him naked before, but never in this state, and the size of his erection intimidated her. For a second she almost panicked and backed out of the current situation until She felt Daryl's fingers gliding against her wet folds and eventually he began to gently massage her nub sending an energy through her mid-section like nothing she had ever felt. Suddenly her mind quit working and she began to react like a primal animal. Moaning, grabbing, thrusting her body up towards his. Nothing else mattered other than feeling him inside of her at this moment.

"Please Daryl, I need to feel you in me now." She begged. Daryl almost came right then and there at the sound of his woman begging him to take her.

"Hold on" he said as he grabbed his jeans and then went into his wallet, pulling out a condom.

Davia sat up just long enough to rip open the package and roll the condom over his engorged shaft. He reached around her and eased her down underneath him. He parted her legs and then spoke softly "Just relax and if it hurts you let me know." He told her.

She grabbed him and slipped her tongue roughly into his mouth, pulling him flush against her again. He was like a drug she couldn't get enough of. Daryl was now poised at her slick opening and he slowly entered her. Davia tensed at first, but quickly let herself relax. There was a friction and tightness at first, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It took him about a minute to fully bury him self inside of her, and the first instance that he rubbed up against her bundle of nerves about sent her over the edge. She immediately reacted by thrusting her hips up towards him, forcing Daryl to moan in pleasure. The sensation of him filling her on the inside and the pleasure of him rubbing up against her nub on the outside almost made her blind with ecstasy. She began to react and anticipate his motion and the two were soon working in a regular rhythm. The pace was slow at first, but soon Daryl began to quicken his thrusts and Davia met him each time. It was if their bodies fit together perfectly. Both of them were covered in a sheen of sweat as their movements were becoming more and more animated. Soon Davia lost all control and it felt like she was no longer in charge of what her body was doing. She had heard that orgasms were amazing, but she had no idea how amazing until now. She screamed out "Daryl I'm coming!" and she then let out a full-blown scream as her legs began to shake and she completely got lost in her first orgasm.

Daryl followed quickly after her and went over the edge as well. He also let out a deep growl of pleasure, riding out his orgasm as long as he could. He buried his face in her neck letting his body recover enough so he could muster up enough energy just to move.

"I fucking love you Davia. I ain't never had anything feel that way. It was so fucking intimate." He said as he changed positions from on top of her to beside her, pulling her to him and kissing her on the forehead.

"You OK?" He said, concerned because she had yet to say anything.

"I…Oh my…Daryl, that felt fucking amazing." She said, letting out a rare profanity.

"You liked it huh?" He said, proud of his accomplishment.

"We will be doing that MUCH more often." She said, nuzzling her nose into his neck and wrapping her arms across his chest.

"Hell yeah babe. I know you said you ain't never done that before, but you were a natural at it. God Damn you woman. You can get me to do anything for you." He told her.

"Oh yeah?" She said teasingly.

They lay there together talking for another hour, but it was almost midnight and the fire was close to burning out. "We need to go babe, I gotta be back in the morning and we've got the Greene family funeral tomorrow." He told her.

"I know…I just don't want to leave this place. I can't wait until we are here permanently. There are lot's of rooms in this house to try out." She giggled.

"You're gonna kill me woman. Don't forget you're younger than me." He teased back.

They got dressed and Daryl put out the fire and then they left, locking the door behind them. It was chilly out and Daryl wrapped his jacket around Davia and then led her to the truck where he opened the door for her. He hated to leave her side even just to walk around the truck and get in on the driver's side.

"Daryl, I'm starving, you wanna go grab something at the diner before we get home?" She asked.

"Sounds good, I seemed to have worked up quite an appetite myself." He told her.

"Do you think people will see us and know what we just did?" She asked.

"Hope so." He replied.

…

Daryl slept so soundly that night that he almost over slept. When he awoke Davia was still sound asleep, but he swore she had a smile on her face and he couldn't help but feel proud that he might have had a little something to do with that.

He took a quick bath, thankful he would be able to take a shower by the end of the week, and quickly got dressed. As he was about to leave he had to stop and take in the sight of Davia…His Davia…sleeping. God he loved her. Before he left he wrote her a quick note

Davia-

_I miss you already. I'll be back in time for the service tonight-_

_Love-_

_D_

It was simple and to the point just like Daryl.

Daryl chain-smoked out of the nervousness of being alone with his father on his way to the house. When he arrived he got out of the truck and unlocked the front door, walking into the main living area and taking a look at the fireplace. A big smile crossed his usually stoic face as he remembered his interlude with Davia the night before. Daryl then made a mental note to swing by the store on the way home to purchase some more condoms. He knew Davia still had at least another week before the birth control pills would be at full effectiveness and he wasn't sure if they would have any more opportunities to have sex again this week, but he hoped that they would. Last night had been the most pleasurable sexual experience he had ever had and he wanted to take Davia again and again.

Daryl was disturbed from his thoughts when his father walked in the front door.

"Hope you don't mind that I didn't knock." Will told his son.

"Ain't a problem. Follow me upstairs and I will show you where the problem started." Daryl said to his father.

They went upstairs to the master bathroom and Daryl showed Will the pipes. Will looked at them and then said "Yeah, these are in pretty bad shape, I'm gonna crawl under the house and see what we are dealing with."

Will might have been older, but Daryl was impressed at how well he was able to crawl around in the small space underneath the house. "It looks like these pipes have been patched up over the years. Some of them are newer than others. It's not as bad as I thought it would be, so that's a good thing. I think we can get by just replacing the pipes upstairs and then you should be good. I would recommend replacing the hot water heater though, it looks like it's on its last legs and could pose a fire threat." His father said.

"Thanks." Daryl said, a bit relieved that he wasn't going to have to replace all of the plumbing in the house.

Daryl and his father left and headed to the home improvement store to pick up the items that they needed and it gave Daryl a chance to talk to his father. He nervously lit up a cigarette and then initiated a conversation.

"I got a favor to ask of ya if ya don't mind." He said to Will.

"Anything Daryl." Will replied.

"You said your step-daughter was a family law attorney. I need help finding mom. I went through Merle's things and I know she got married and moved out west, but everything stopped abruptly about the time she got married. I ain't sure if something happened to her, or if she just forgot about us after she started her new life. Based on all her letters, it doesn't make sense. The last thing she said was she was going to return to Blue Ridge to see us, but I don't think it ever happened."

"I can call Michonne right now if you would like. I know she would be more than willing to help." Will told him.

Daryl nodded and Will picked up his cell phone. Daryl listened to the conversation and could tell there was much more of a comfort level between his father and stepdaughter than there was with he and Will. He imagined it had a lot to do with the fact that Michonne had never seen the bad side of Will.

As Will continued the conversation he paused long enough to ask Daryl a question "Any chance you can make it to Atlanta next Monday?"

"Yeah, I think I can do that." He said. He still had a few weeks before he could return to work, so this all seemed to work out well. He hoped Davia would go along with him, and maybe they could make a day of it spending time in Atlanta.

Will ended the call and told Daryl he would give him the address of Michonne's law office. "You'll like her Daryl, she's a good girl." Will assured his son.

"Daryl can I ask you a question?" Will asked tentatively.

"Yeah, ain't promising to answer it, but you can ask." Daryl replied.

"You planning on getting hitched to this young lady you are with? She seems like a nice sweet girl and she adores you. Anyone can see that."

"Don't know, we ain't been seeing each other that long, but she is moving into the house with me." Daryl told him.

"How did y'all meet?" Will asked.

"She is a singer at Dale's bar. Went there with Merle one night and when I heard her sing I was taken aback by her." He told his dad.

"Sort of an instant attraction. She reminds me of your momma in a way. A real good girl. I just pray you don't ever go down the path I took." Will said sadly.

"Ain't gonna happen. I couldn't ever put anyone through what you put us through. Now look, I appreciate the fact that you have 'turned over a new leaf' and all, but you can't blame me for still being apprehensive around you. Just last night I went to a bar to retrieve Hershel Greene in a drunken stupor. I know you have been sober for a long time, but so was Hershel. So you have to forgive me if I don't fully trust ya." He told his dad honestly.

"I hate to hear that about Hershel. I understand he is going through a lot right now, but he needs to be strong for his daughters. I understand you and Davia are close with Hershel's youngest daughter, Beth?"

"Yeah, her and her boyfriend Zach. They're good people and you don't see a lot of that anymore. I spent the majority of my life dealing with the aftermath of what you did, and then following Merle around. Trust me, Merle didn't surround himself with good people. Davia has helped me see that good people still do exist. She ain't had an easy time of things in her life either, but she rose above it. People have treated her like shit for most of her life, and she still is a good person. There was a while I wasn't sure if I could even be a good man, but Davia helped me realize I can be." Daryl said.

"Daryl you need to hold on to her. I know this might be a bit presumptuous, but Jacqui wanted me to invite you two out to Chattanooga for Thanksgiving. You don't have to answer right now, but it could be a start of trying to put things back together." Will said.

Daryl didn't answer for a minute. This would be a huge step in their relationship and Daryl wasn't sure he was ready to go that far at this point. "I'll think about it." He said, knowing he would need to talk to Davia and get her to weigh in on his decision.

They spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon getting the plumbing fixed in the house. Daryl was impressed at how quickly Will worked and when he was done, the plumbing was working well. Daryl gave his father a tour of the house and the property, even pointing out a shed on the back of the land that Daryl had already pegged as his 'man cave'. He had plans to even install a large chest freezer to store meat from hunting. Daryl hadn't been able to get out and hunt for a while, and he was definitely craving the ability to get out in the woods and take down a few deer. It was on a bucket list of things he and Zach wanted to do together without the girls. Just a weekend of male bonding, plus the meat from the deer would save a good amount of money on food.

After Daryl and his father left the house, Daryl stopped at the pharmacy and picked up a box of condoms, and then he decided he would surprise Davia and he swung by the florist and picked her up a bouquet of flowers. He knew it was a cheesy gesture, but he wanted to show her something to let her know just how much last night meant to him.

When he arrived at the apartment he heard the piano playing and Davia singing. He guessed she must have been practicing while he was gone. Part of him wanted to just stay out in the hall and listen to her sing, but he didn't want her to think he was spying on her, so he opened up the door and went inside the apartment.

The music stopped as he entered and she looked up at her lover. "Hey" Daryl said in his deep southern twang. "Got these for ya just to let ya know I was thinking about ya."

"Daryl they're gorgeous. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either." She said, almost blushing. He took a look around the apartment and noticed she had done a serious amount of packing. All the paintings on the walls were removed, her entire music collection was boxed up, and there was a pile of empty boxes stacked neatly in the corner. It was amazing to him that even with her packing and moving, her house was still spotless. He could smell bleach and knew she had also spent a good part of the day scrubbing down surfaces. One look at her hands verified his suspicion.

"Baby you gotta take it easy on the cleaning, you have worn the skin pure off your knuckles. I'll make sure I help you get everything spotless before we turn the apartment over." He said to her, taking her chin into his hands and tilting her face up towards his. He leaned in and placed a kiss on her mouth that immediately changed from a simple kiss to a burning hunger between the two. Before Daryl knew it he was walking Davia backward towards the bedroom. He kicked the door shut and walked them over to the bed, leaning Davia back onto the mattress while never breaking the kiss. Their sexual appetite was insatiable and Daryl's hands made quick work of Davia's blouse, once again exposing yet another sexy red bra that she had on. It would be so easy to take her again here and now, but a sense of reality hit him like a ton of bricks and he realized they needed to be at the funeral home in just over an hour.

When he pulled away Davia moaned in frustration as her loins were burning with the desire to be filled up with every bit of Daryl.

"Sorry babe, but it ain't right to do this just before Beth has to say goodbye to her momma and her brother." He told her.

"Rain check…right?" Davia said teasingly.

"Oh yeah, just look at this as foreplay." He told her.

Daryl took another bath after getting dirty and sweaty working on the house with his father and Davia straightened her hair and applied makeup. Davia had laid out some clothes for Daryl and he changed into them. "Shit like this keeps happening and I'm gonna need to actually buy some dress clothes." He told her.

"You do look good cleaned up Dixon." She replied.

"Yeah, but it ain't me. I'm happiest covered in dirt, or covered in you." He said, wondering if she picked up on the last part of his sentence.

"Keep that teasing up Daryl and I'm gonna explode." She said.

On the way to the funeral home Davia brought up to Daryl that they needed to find her a car. "Obviously a BMW would be expensive and not practical, but how about something like a Toyota Highlander?" She asked.

"How about something a little more American, like a Jeep Cherokee?" He replied back.

"Oh Daryl, you are such a red-blooded country boy. Actually though, that's a good idea, because I like Cherokees" She told him.

"See if you can find a deal on the Internet tomorrow, and if you find something, we'll go look at it and get it. I meant to tell you, I gotta go to Atlanta on Monday to meet my stepsister. She's gonna help us try to find my mom." He told Davia.

"I haven't been to Atlanta in years, not since like Middle School. I went there for a Choral Competition in eighth grade. Can we spend the day there?" She asked him.

"I was gonna ask if you wanted to. It's about an hour and a half to get there, so we could spend the day and be back that night." He told her.

"When do you think we are gonna be able to move into the house?" She asked him.

"Maybe this weekend. I'm going to see if I can find an inspector to check out everything Friday, and if it all checks out, we can get an occupancy permit and move in. The plumbing was the last big hurdle." He told her.

"I think I'm going to see if Dale will let me take the rest of the week off, then we can focus all of our attention on getting the house in tip-top shape. There is one thing I would like to purchase though…" She said with a coy look on her face.

"What's that Davia?" He asked curious as to what it was.

"A big old bed for the Master bedroom. Something massive and masculine that has your influence. Nothing prissy. I want my man to have a place where he can act like a feral animal, and I want to be your prey." She said, whispering the last part.

"Davia you're killing me. You keep it up and we ain't gonna make it to the service." He said.

She let out a laugh. "Sorry."

"There is something else I want to talk to you about. My dad invited us to Chattanooga for Thanksgiving. I didn't give him an answer, but I thought I would talk it over with you first." He said.

"That's a big change for you isn't it? Do you want to go?" She asked.

"It could be interesting. Jacqui seems like a nice lady, and my father has been nothing but polite and helpful since he's been in town. I am really considering it. It would be a big step in reconciling with him." Daryl said carefully.

"OK, then it's settled, we will go. I assume he will be at the service tonight and you can tell him then if you are in agreement." She said.

Daryl put his thumb to his mouth and began to chew on it…a nervous habit Davia noticed when he was struggling with hard decisions. "I will tell him tonight. If it turns out to be a disaster we can just leave. Let's just hope it doesn't get to that." He told her.

They arrived at the memorial service and the funeral home was loaded down with local people. The Greene's were well known and respected in the community, and it appeared to Davia that just about everyone in town was there. Her and Daryl made their way in to pay their respects and Beth immediately pulled them to the side.

"Davia, I was supposed to sing, but I just can't do it." She said tearfully.

"Shhh…. We'll do it together Bethy. What are you going to sing?"

"Momma's favorite hymns, Amazing Grace and The Garden." Beth said.

"OK I will play the piano and sing harmony with you, but you are going to lead. OK sweetie? You can do this, give this one last gift to your Momma." Davia told Beth.

Beth nodded. Daryl was standing beside Davia quietly and Zach soon joined the trio. "Glad y'all could come tonight. It's been a rough couple of days. Hershel's been fighting with everything he has to stay sober. He's apologized at least ten times for last night and Glenn and I have both been trying to not let him out of our sight. The man is grieving and neither of us know what to do to make it any better." Zach said.

Daryl spoke "Maybe my old man could talk to him. He's been sober for a long time, and they both used to run together. Not sure it will help, but I can ask him." Daryl said. It was then that he realized he was beginning to actually rely on his father for things. This was something Daryl never had the luxury of doing in his past life. It had always been Merle who took care of Daryl, or on some rare occasion some of his father's slutty girlfriends, but that was only in the cases when Social Services got involved and threatened to take him away if the living conditions didn't improve.

Zach replied "Anything you think will help."

The service was emotional and beautiful. Hershel got up and spoke about his wife and stepson, telling the story of how they came into his life and changed his world. Daryl and Davia sat with Will and Jacqui and Daryl actually had a conversation with his father (Presumably about Hershel) before the service had begun.

Davia and Beth turned the service into water-works when they sang her mother's favorite hymns and though Beth was an emotional wreck, she fought through it and sounded like a sweet little Nightingale. When they were done singing Davia stayed with Beth instead of returning to sit beside Daryl. Though every part of her wanted to be with Daryl at this moment, she knew Beth needed her support more.

When the service was over Davia stood to go back to Daryl and Beth grabbed her arm. "Davia something seems different with you today. You almost have a glow to you." She said.

Davia blushed and before she could respond Beth's face lit up "You and Daryl had sex didn't you?"

"Oh God, is it that obvious" Davia said.

"It is if you know what to look for. I'm so happy for you Davia." Beth said hugging her friend. "You have to tell me all about it. Call me tomorrow so we can talk." Beth said.

"Are you sure you're up to it? I'm not sure if it's appropriate with all you have been going through." Davia said concerned.

"I need the distraction Davia. It will help me feel like life can get back to normal. I don't know what I would have done without you, Daryl, and Zach. This has been so hard. I didn't want to go on living until you sang to me last night. That's when you and Maggie made me realize Momma wouldn't be pleased with my behavior. I will always be grateful for that Davia." She said, once again hugging her friend.

Davia and Beth parted ways and Daryl soon found her "You ready to go?"

"Yes. Did you talk to your father?" She asked.

"Told him we would be there. We'll drive up Thursday morning and stay the night. He did mention something about us staying in separate rooms since we weren't married, but I told him that wouldn't fly and if we had too we would get a hotel room. I never thought I would have that conversation with Will Dixon. He's gone off to find Hershel to see if he can get him sorted." Daryl told her.

As they were heading out to Daryl's truck to leave to go home they heard someone yell Daryl's name. "Daryl, hold up."

They both turned to see Rick and Carol heading towards them. Carol looked like a different woman. She was dressed in a nice suit and had on make-up and jewelry. Her short hair was teased and Davia thought it looked as though she had colored her silver locks.

When Rick approached he extended his hand to Daryl, who accepted it. "Glad we caught y'all before you left. Wanted to give you a heads up."

"What's going on?" Daryl asked.

Carol began to speak "I am sorry to tell you two this, but my estranged husband Ed, he thinks I left him for you Daryl."

"What, why the hell would he think that?" Daryl said, slightly pissed.

"The entire reason he beat me that night was he found your cell number in my phone after I left for work early that day to check on you. I'm sorry Daryl, I know I made things very awkward for you and Davia, and I am going to just blame it on a mental lapse. It had been so long since any man had treated me with Dignity that it screwed up my judgement. Rick has been a true friend and helped me through a lot in the past couple of weeks. Fortunately Ed doesn't know where I'm staying, but unfortunately he has been putting the word around town he is looking for you. We needed to give you a heads up. Ed is a sneaky bastard and a meaner drunk. So far he hasn't done anything, but he can be very patient when he wants revenge. Please keep your eyes open just in case." Carol said.

"Ain't worried too much about it, but thanks for the heads up. If the man starts shit with me he will wish he never had been born." Daryl replied.

"Daryl, why don't you drop by the station in the morning and take out a restraining order, just in case. If nothing else it will make Carol's case that much stronger."

"Fine if you think it will help. I don't need a restraining order to keep him away from me, but if it will help out Carol and her little girl I'll do it." Daryl said.

Davia and Daryl finally got in the truck and headed home. They had unfinished business that they needed to handle…

**Yep...they did it, and I think Daryl has created a monster LOL.**

**Thanks everyone to the incredible reviews and support I have been receiving. Some of you have been with me for all four stories I have written (and writing) and it means so much to me. **

**THis chapter seemed like it took forever to write and I apologize for how long it took. Hopefully I will have another chapter up on Sunday/Monday depending on how busy I get this weekend.**

**Gotta tell y'all...I took a self-defense class this week, and now I feel like a total badass. LOL.**

**PLEASE Leave me a review or let me know if you want to see anything in the story. I know my SMUT scenes have a lot to be desired, but it's the best I can do without turning fifteen shades of red...I want to keep it respectful between the characters and not just an excuse to write porn. Plus, it was Davia's first time and I wanted to keep that realistic.**

**Have a great weekend and I think we are going to have a good sunday on TWD. What did y'all think of the Carol/Daryl episode?**

**Hugs and Kisses-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	16. Chapter 16

*****WARNING-PHYSICAL VIOLENCE ON A FEMALE IN THIS CHAPTER (NO SEXUAL VIOLENCE)**

Daryl and Davia made love twice after arriving home from the service. Once almost immediately after entering the apartment and once more this morning. Davia couldn't believe that after the first time that they had had sex could feel any better, but she was wrong. They were still in the early stages of getting to know each other's bodies, but apparently Davia was a fast learner. Daryl had even joked that the box of a dozen condoms he had purchased probably wasn't going to last them more than a few days.

Daryl reluctantly got out of bed to get the day started. He and Davia enjoyed a bubble bath together (Daryl making the decision that he was healed up enough to fully submerge his wounds) and it almost lead to a round three. Both of them now had an insatiable appetite for each other physically, and Davia teased that it had been the best cardio workout she'd had in years.

Daryl headed down to the police station to meet with Rick and Davia pulled out her laptop to research vehicles. Daryl had been gracious in letting her use the truck whenever she asked, but it would be nice to have a vehicle of her own. He had suggested a Jeep and she agreed that it would be a good choice. The dirt path that led to the house was almost a half mile long and in bad weather it would require a vehicle that was high of the ground, or even at times a four-wheel drive. Plus Blue Ridge had notoriously snowy winters since it sat at a higher elevation being a mountainous community.

She spent a good hour looking and finally found a silver Jeep Cherokee that was slightly used, but fully loaded and at a really good price. It was priced well enough that she could pay cash and wouldn't have to finance it. She wrote down the address and phone number and stuck it in her purse so she and Daryl could go check it out when he got home.

She decided she would cook homemade soup in the crock-pot so she went to the fridge and began to work on chopping vegetables and defrosting some beef tenderloin she had purchased earlier in the week. Once she had the vegetables chopped she began to work on tenderizing and seasoning the beef before she added it to the pot as well. As soon as she had finished putting the lid on the crockpot she heard a knock on the door. She wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and went to answer the door.

She opened the door to see a large man she didn't recognize blocking the doorway. He smelled of sweat and booze and appeared to be swaying slightly. Davia's heart jumped into her throat when she realized she should have checked the peephole instead of just opening the door.

"Dixon here?" The man slurred out.

"He's in the shower." This was the best answer Davia could come up with at the moment. She didn't want the man to know she was home alone.

"Who are you?" He asked gruffly.

"His girlfriend." Davia responded. Was that the right answer? Should she have told him she was his Fiancée or wife?

"He's fucking around on ya with my wife." The man said bluntly. At that moment he pushed his way into the apartment and began to yell for Daryl. "Dixon get your fucking cheating ass out here right now. You are about to pay for your transgressions."

Before Davia could react the man shoved her out of the way and began to go towards the shower. It took the man about two seconds to realize that Daryl wasn't there.

"You fucking lied to me you little cunt. Are you trying to make me look like a fool?" He said as he quickly grabbed Davia by her hair with his right hand and began to drag her across the room.

"Sir…Please…your hurting me?" She whimpered.

"Oh honey, you don't know hurt. So you're Dixon's woman huh? How's it feel to know he's been fucking someone else?" the man said.

"I don't know what you're talking about? There isn't any way he would do that to me?" Davia said as calmly as she could. She was in trouble and she was trying to find a way to get out of this situation. She glanced around the room and caught the sight of her cell phone on the counter. She needed to get to the phone and call 911 because she knew she was in great peril at the moment.

Davia pulled away from the man quickly and ran for the phone, she grabbed it, but not before the drunken man caught her. She pushed the phone and a call went through to the last person she had talked with, Beth.

Beth answered her phone when she saw she had a call from Davia, but was confused when all she heard was a man yelling in the background. "Davia…Davia is that you?" She said into her phone but receiving no answer.

"I don't know who you are, or why are you here?" Davia yelled at her attacker. She was answered with a smack across the face that sent her reeling into the wall.

"Don't fuck with me you bitch. You know who I am." The man said belligerently. Davia pulled herself up off the floor just long enough to have the man grab her again and slam her against the wall.

"Please don't do this" She cried. Beth was still on the other line, screaming in panic. The man grabbed the phone from Davia and shouted into the phone "Say goodbye to your friend, she ain't gonna be around much longer after I am done with her." And then he disconnected the call. Panicked, Beth tried to call back, but the phone went straight to voice mail. The drunken man had smashed the phone to pieces when he threw it up against the wall. The next number Beth called was 911 and then she attempted to call Daryl.

Davia was now scrambling to try to make it to her room where she might have a chance if she could get her door shut and locked. The man came at her again, and this time she shoved him, knocking him off balance and allowing her to scramble to her room. She shut the door and locked it, but it was to no avail as the man was now furious and managed to kick the door down with just a few good kicks. Now Davia was cornered with nowhere to go.

The guy now pounced on top of her and began to punch her in the face and head repeatedly, calling her names like "slut" and "whore" as he beat her senseless. Davia punched and scratched in a vain attempt to get the man to let her go, but he was acting psychotic and seemed to possess a super human strength in his rage.

Davia was now covered in blood and her eyes were swelling. The man stopped long enough to catch his breath and Davia pushed herself up and ran for the front door, but unfortunately the man was faster than her and caught her before she could get out of the apartment. She tried to grab anything she could to hit him with, but most of her belongings were packed in boxes and she was struggling to find anything that would work. She remembered the knife on the Kitchen counter and once again pulled away from him so she could grab it.

This time she grabbed the knife before he could get to her and as he reached his arms around her body she stabbed at him, feeling the knife break the flesh in his upper arm. She had really hoped that she would have stabbed him somewhere lethal on his body, but the shock of the knife cutting him allowed her to pull away yet again.

Davia was now bleeding profusely and as she ran once again for the front door, she slipped on the kitchen floor that was now covered in both her and her attacker's blood. This allowed the monster to once again get the upper hand on her and he began to unleash a vicious beating on her. She fought with everything she had, but he now had his hands around her neck and the world around her began to fade to dark and everything became fuzzy. Her last thoughts before she blacked out were of her and Daryl and she prayed to God that she would see him one more time before she died.

…

Daryl had arrived down at the police station and met up with Rick. Rick already had the paperwork in order for Daryl to fill out the Restraining Order against Ed.

"This seems like a load of bullshit to me." Daryl told Rick.

"I know, but it protects you if Ed does something to provoke you." Rick assured him.

"You can't tell me a fucking piece of paper actually would keep someone from coming after ya if they really wanted too." Daryl muttered.

"Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Like I said, it does more to protect you legally if he does come after you. I think I know you well enough that if Ed Peletier were to encroach upon you, fists would be flying. In your case now it's self-defense, not assault." Rick reminded him.

Daryl completed the paperwork and Rick initiated a conversation. "You know, I mentioned to you how impressed I was with your skills the other day at the accident scene. You picked up on clues that most people would have missed. When I mentioned to you considering a career in law enforcement I was serious. Daryl you would be a natural at this."

"Ha, are you high Sheriff Grimes? A Dixon in law enforcement?" Daryl replied.

"I am not high, and yes, a Dixon in law enforcement."

"Rick, I don't even have a High School diploma. There ain't no way I could even qualify." Daryl told him matter-of-factly.

"Daryl I pulled all of you records, you were not a bad student before you dropped out. You could probably get your GED within two weeks and then, upon my recommendation, go to the police academy." Rick told him.

"You really are serious about this aren't you?" Daryl said.

"Very. Look, your hunting and tracking skills are legendary in this area, and you managed to keep your nose clean despite being a Dixon. Plus, we are really looking into adding a K-9 unit, and I think you would be a natural." Rick said.

"You are really willing to go out on a limb for me for this?" Daryl asked, perplexed that anyone as smart as Rick Grimes would even consider him for a role in law enforcement.

"Yeah, I am." Rick replied.

"Look, I just bought a house and I have bills, I would have to work and I don't think you can attend the police academy and work a job. I just don't see how it is doable." Daryl replied.

"Scholarships and Grants Daryl. You could get enough to pay for the program and subsidize your living expenses. I would make sure of it. I'd even hire you here part time so you can have insurance until you graduate. Come on Daryl...please consider it. The next semester starts in January and I would really like to have this all worked out by then." Rick said.

"I have to talk to Davia. She's part of my life now, and since she is moving in with me it will effect her too. If she agrees then I will consider it." Daryl said.

"Glad to hear it." Rick replied as he extended his hand to Daryl for a handshake. Daryl reciprocated and then got up to leave. Before he could make it out the door his cell phone began to ring and he answered it when he saw the call was from Beth.

"Hello" He said, suddenly not able to hear what she was saying because chaos broke out in the station about an "assault in progress"…

"Daryl, It's Davia something is happening to her at the apartment, someone is attacking her…" Daryl hung up and Rick came running out of his office.

"Daryl I need you to be calm and come with me. Your neighbor has reported hearing screams from your apartment and loud noises and Beth Greene called and…"

"I know… let's go." Daryl said trying very had to remain calm while every bit of him wanted to get in his truck and take out anyone and anything that got in his way to Davia.

…

The man heard the sirens as he was choking Davia. He immediately jumped up and let Davia's limp body drop to the floor as he fled from the apartment. He saw the squad car rounding the corner and ran down the stairs of the apartment complex into the heavy woods behind the building. There was no way he was going to risk getting caught. At least he had the satisfaction of knowing that he probably had just taken one of the few precious things away from Dixon, just as Dixon had taken from him.

Rick barely had a chance to get the car in park before Daryl bolted from the passenger seat and ran up the stairs to his apartment, taking the steps two at a time. He entered the apartment and saw Davia laying in a bloody heap on the floor "No No No No No…" He began to shout as he made his way to her and dropped down on the ground reaching out to touch her.

"Don't Daryl" Rick shouted, " We don't know how bad she's hurt. Let's let the EMT's handle this." He said.

Rick dropped down beside her and grabbed her wrist to search for a pulse. He let out a breath he had been holding "I've got a faint pulse." He said.

"Davia, Davia honey, it's me babe, wake up." Daryl begged, but she was unresponsive.

"Daryl she's unconscious." Rick told him, hoping he could get through to Daryl who was now obviously distraught.

Daryl took in the sight of Davia. She had handprints around her neck, and there was blood everywhere in the apartment and on her. She was bleeding from the eyes, nose, mouth and ears and there were scratches and bruises all over her arms.

"Who would do this to her? She wouldn't hurt no one." Daryl asked out loud, but not specifically to Rick. Before Rick could respond the EMT's made their way into the apartment and Rick had to physically remove Daryl from Davia's side.

"Look Daryl, I know you are upset and concerned, and you have every right to be, but right now I need you to remain calm for Davia. For now, the apartment is a crime scene."

"Sir are you her husband?" the EMT asked.

"No…" Daryl thought and then remembered they might not let him ride with her to the hospital "I mean yes, we just got married." He said lying. Rick heard Daryl's answer and when the EMT looked to Rick for confirmation he nodded affirmatively.

The EMT's were taking Davia's vitals and he picked up on phrases like "weak pulse" "brain damage" and "terminal injuries". When they had her stabilized they gently lifted her onto a gurney and carried her to the waiting ambulance. Daryl was just about to get in with her when Rick stopped him for just a second "Daryl, keep it together for her. I promise that whoever did this to her won't get away with it."

They had already started an IV on Davia and Daryl hated seeing the needles sticking into her hand. This was his woman, the love of his life, and at this moment she wasn't part of this world anymore. She was unresponsive and he wanted more than anything for her to open her eyes so he could tell her how much she meant to him. If Daryl lost her, he didn't know if he would have the will to continue on. At this moment the only thing that mattered was Davia needed to survive. Once he knew she wouldn't leave him, he would then focus his attention on finding out who did this to her and why. Whoever her attacker was, his days were numbered. Daryl would kill him personally, no questions asked.

Daryl held onto her hand as they rode in the ambulance, silently praying to a God he wasn't sure even existed. He was praying that she would move, open her eyes, say something…anything to let him know she would survive this, and for the first time in his adult life, he was terrified. He felt the phone in his jacket vibrating and pulled it out to see who was trying to contact him, it was Zach's number. He also noticed there were numerous missed calls that registered to Beth's phone as well. He made a note to call them as soon as they got to the hospital because they deserved to know what was going on as well. Beth and Zach were for all intents and purposes their extended family.

When they arrived at the hospital they took Davia to a trauma unit and Daryl was asked to wait in the lobby of the emergency room. His first instinct was to fight like hell to be allowed to stay with Davia, but Rick's words kept replaying in his head and Daryl knew he had to keep it together for Davia's sake. The last thing he needed was to be escorted out of the hospital by security. A young nurse could see how visibly upset Daryl was and pulled him to the side and spoke, "I'm Tara, and I know you are concerned for your wife at the moment, but I promise you as soon as we get her settled and know what her injuries and condition are I will let you know." She smiled at him kindly and then left to perform her duties.

Daryl picked up his phone and called Zach.

"Daryl?" Zach said when he answered.

"It's bad. Do y'all mind coming down here? I don't wanna be here by myself in case…"

"We're on our way." Zach said as he hung up.

Daryl stared at his phone and made a hard decision. He picked it up and called Will.

"Hello" Will Answered.

"Um yeah…it's me. Can I ask a favor?" Daryl asked sheepishly.

"Anything son." Will said, concern in his voice.

"Davia was attacked and it don't look good for her. I know you and Jacqui are both God fearing people. Would you mind praying for her?" Daryl asked out of heartfelt desperation.

"Daryl, you don't even have to ask. Where are you at right now? What happened?" Will asked.

"I'm at Fannin Regional Hospital and I wish I knew what happened, but right now all that matters is Davia gets better. They don't know anything yet and I'm waiting for the doctor to get back to me. I'm so fucking scared I don't know what to do." Daryl confessed to his father.

"Is anyone there with you?" Will asked him.

"Beth and Zach are on their way. Look I need to hang up, but thanks for caring." Daryl said, a lump forming in his throat. Six months ago if you would have told him he would have turned to Will Dixon for support, and he would have laughed you into next week. Now his father was one of the first persons he wanted to turn to.

…

Rick had interviewed the neighbors and no one saw anyone hanging around the area. They didn't know if the guy had come in on foot or by vehicle and they didn't know how he left either. Rick really could have used Daryl's help with the investigation. Daryl's observation skills would point to anything out of the ordinary quickly and could probably give them the lead they needed. Rick knew that at this point he had no chance of pulling Daryl away from Davia, and he wouldn't want to, but he hoped like hell Davia made a full recovery quickly so that she could give them some idea of who they were looking for.

…

Beth and Zach met Daryl in the waiting room at the hospital. Beth immediately embraced Daryl, and to her surprise, he hugged her back.

"I'm gonna have faith that she's gonna be alright Daryl. She has to be and that is what I'm going to accept." She told the older man.

Beth's optimism was like a ray of sunshine. She said it so convincingly that he didn't doubt her. "Thank you." He whispered to the young blonde.

They waited and they waited. For three very long hours they waited to hear something on Davia's condition. Daryl had begun to pace the waiting room like a caged tiger after he had chewed his thumb raw. Daryl had many gifts, but patience wasn't one of them.

"Daryl, maybe no news is good news. If something bad had happened they would have been out here by now to tell us." Beth told him.

"She's right son." He heard a voice from behind him. He turned to see his father and Jacqui had made the ride from Chattanooga to be with him.

"I didn't call you to make you feel like you needed to come here." Daryl said. He wouldn't admit it, but his father and Jacqui being there meant the world to him at the moment.

"I know you didn't son, but your family and right now you need all the support you can get." Will told his son.

Jacqui walked over and wrapped her arms around Daryl and pulled him into a hug "I know you aren't my own, but I already love you like you are. Now you listen to me Daryl. I spent the entire trip here calling all my prayer warriors on Davia's behalf. Right now Jesus and the Angels are working overtime to make sure that girl pulls through. I don't doubt for one minute she isn't gonna be OK." She told him.

Daryl couldn't help it as few tears slipped from his eyes and he nodded at her, unable to speak. Jacqui continued to speak to him in a comforting tone and rocked him like a young boy. He suddenly knew what it was that Will saw in this amazing lady. She had so much love and goodness in her that she was able to love Will Dixon past his demons. This woman was truly his father's salvation.

It was close to four in the afternoon when the door to the private waiting room the family had been moved to opened up. A doctor in his late thirties with sandy hair and round glasses entered looking serious. Immediately Daryl thought the worse.

"I'm sorry" were the first words out of the doctor's mouth.

Beth cried out and Daryl sunk to his knees. He wasn't ready to accept this.

The doctor took in the sight in front of him and realized what he had done. "No, I'm sorry that we kept you waiting so long. My apologies, I'm Dr. Mahmet and I have been assigned to Davia's care." He told them.

The sense of relief that flooded the room was overwhelming and the grief was replaced with the releasing of five individual's breaths.

"Davia is stable but critical. She has a long list of injuries including a broken right orbital bone, two broken fingers, a punctured lung, four broken ribs, numerous contusions, a severe concussion, and there is some slight swelling in her brain. I had to make a small incision to relieve some of the pressure, but it shouldn't be noticeable. We have also processed a rape kit on her to see if the assault was sexual." Dr. Mahmet told them.

Daryl felt like he wanted to vomit. He hadn't even let himself think that the assault could have turned sexual. "Doc can I talk to you alone?" He asked.

The doctor nodded and led Daryl out to the hallway. "I don't know if it makes a difference or not but we had sex just an hour or two before the attack. Is that going to mess up the results?" He said.

"It will be helpful for you to supply a blood sample to check for any foreign DNA. There are usually other signs as well such as bruising and tearing when the sex is non-consensual." The doctor told him.

"OK, I can do that. Be straight with me, is she gonna make it?" Daryl asked.

"She's a lucky woman. If everything continues as it is, she should recover. She may make a full physical recovery, but you may want to consider finding a mental health doctor for her. Traumatic experiences this brutal can have a life-long effect on someone. Does she have a strong family she can rely on?" The doctor asked.

"She's got me, and a strong group of friends. She doesn't really have any other family, but we will get her through this." Daryl told the doctor, assuring him that Davia would have the support she needed.

"Good. We are moving her to a room and once we get her there you all can come in to see her. She regained consciousness briefly while we were stabilizing her and she asked for you. The nurse Tara was going to retrieve you, but we really needed to get her into surgery. That's why it took us so long to get back to you. I apologize for the lack of communication." Dr. Mahmet informed him.

"Thanks. All that matters is that she recovers." Daryl told him.

Daryl then walked back into the waiting room to find four other sets of eyes staring at him. "She's gonna pull through" Daryl informed them all.

"Oh thank God" Beth said as she hugged Zach, then Will, and then Jackie. Zach got up and clapped Daryl on the shoulder and shook his hand. The tension in the room melted away.

Will stood up to shake Daryl's hand, and without thinking Daryl pulled his father into a hug. It started out awkward at first but quickly progressed to a true heartfelt father/son endearment. It seemed like all the years of hurt and disappointment had been washed away and Daryl suddenly collapsed like a child in his father's arms. This wasn't the monster that had raised him until he was fourteen; this was an answered prayer that was thirty-six years in the making. Could he ever completely forget what had happened in the past? No. But his father was here with him now when it mattered, and that counted for everything at the moment.

…

As Daryl and his father were sharing a break through moment, everyone quietly got up and left the waiting room to give the father and son privacy.

Zach addressed the little group "Before they let us up to the room to see Davia why don't we all go grab a coffee."

"Great idea Zach. I like you young man." Jacqui said.

"Do you think they will be OK in there?" Beth asked.

"I believe they will be better than alright." Jacqui replied to Beth.

…

It was decided that Daryl would go see Davia first. He was hesitant to see her, knowing he would be overtaken by anger when he saw what the bastard had done to his girl, but he had promised Rick he would keep it together and he wasn't going to let the man down. For some reason what Rick Grimes thought about him mattered.

Daryl entered the room tentatively, not wanting to wake up Davia if she was resting. When he first caught sight of her he felt anger rise immediately. She looked like she had been dropped from a fifth floor window. Her face was bruised and swollen and he noticed her arms were bruised badly as well. They had two of her fingers in a splint and a bandage wrapped around her head where he assumed the Doctor had to drain some of the fluid that had been collecting on her brain.

Daryl went to Davia's bedside and pulled up a chair to sit beside her. Even in her battered condition, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever known. He hated the world for how they had treated her because she wasn't a size six. She was a real woman with real curves and he liked that about her. There wasn't anything fake or pretentious about Davia. Her beauty from within is what made her so beautiful on the outside. Daryl loved her more than he loved life and seeing her in this condition was overwhelming for him. He took her uninjured hand into his and held it and waited. Right now all he wanted for her to do was wake up and give him her smile.

…

Davia began to slowly wake up and the first thing she noticed was that her head hurt, badly. It felt as if she had a migraine and it caused her stomach to feel weak as well. She was confused as to where she was and wasn't sure as to why she was hurting so badly. She opened her eyes, but the light of the room caused her to immediately close them again, but not before she caught Daryl's face in her hazy vision.

"Where am I?" She asked

"Baby your awake." Daryl said.

"Am I in the hospital?" She asked, still confused.

"Davia you were attacked and we were lucky that we found you just in time before…" He said, not even being able to say what could have happened.

Tears sprang from her swollen eyes, as she was flooded with the memories of her attack. "Daryl I was so scared. I don't know why he attacked me and I don't know who he was. All I could think about was that I would never see you again." She said tearfully.

"Shhh…you got me right here and ain't no one ever gonna hurt you again. Baby you gotta rest so we can get you home." He told her, gently rubbing her hand in an attempt to calm her down.

"I don't want to go back to the apartment Daryl. Please get the house finished so we can go there instead." She begged him.

"I will, I promise you that Davia. But I can't while I am here with you." He told her.

"Please Daryl Please…it's OK if you're not here with me as long as you get the house finished. You said it was close." She was pleading with him. It was evident she was terrified to return to the apartment.

"Don't worry anymore about it sweetie, I promise you won't ever have to go back there again. Baby you weren't the only one who was scared. I thought I was gonna lose you and I didn't know what I was gonna do." He confessed to her.

"Did they catch him?" She asked.

"No babe, not yet. But Rick is out looking for him." He assured her.

"Daryl you have to help him. Please, find him Daryl. I know I'm asking a lot, but I know you can help Rick." She told him.

"I will honey. Once I'm sure you are gonna be OK I will." He told her.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Davia there are some people here that want to see you, are you up to it? It's Beth and Zach and my Dad and Jacqui." He told her.

Davia nodded and it was apparent that she was in pain and was also getting worn out quickly. Daryl was hesitant to allow visitors, but knew that Davia wouldn't turn them away, and also knew that the others were eager to see her, even just for a moment.

Daryl got up and went to the waiting room where he was greeted by four very anxious faces. "She is awake, but very weak. She's ready to see y'all, but be easy on her, and I'm just gonna warn ya, she looks bad, so prepare yourself."

They all headed down the hall to Davia's room and Jacqui took Daryl's hand into hers and whispered into his ear. "Daryl the Lord saved her for a reason and I think that reason is for you. Y'all give each other strength and comfort and I pray you never let that go." She said squeezing his hand.

Daryl gave her a quick nod and the slightest of smiles as she separated from him to be by his father's side. It was amazing to Daryl how in such tragedy he was beginning to find great strength, love, and support. Maybe things were finally gonna be right for him. And Jacqui was right, God spared Davia for a reason, and Daryl was as sure as he ever had been about anything in his life. Davia was meant to be his wife, and he was going to ask her today. Life was too short to risk being separated from her and both of them had come close to death in the past few months. He silently lifted up a prayer to God "If your listening I wanna offer up a big "thanks". I hope I'm reading the signs right Lord and I'm gonna do what you want. I just pray she says yes."

**So...is Daryl moving too fast or do you think you understand why he wants to commit to Davia?**

**I've got a lot of things planned...and next chapter Daryl is going on a manhunt. I pity the fool...**

**So let me know what you think...**

**MSF on Sunday and I hope to have another update by then. I Hope each and every one of you have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving...Eat without guilt ladies!**

**Ciao-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry for the long delay...I was a bit traumatized by the MSF...I have never had a TV show effect me the way that S5-8 Did. I loved Beth.**

*****Warning MSF Discussion at the end and possible spoilers in Authors Note******

Davia was weak and in pain, but she couldn't fight the smile on her face when Beth, Zach, Will, and Jacqui came into her room to visit her. She had never had anyone in her life that genuinely cared about her well being, and these people treated her like she was one of the most important people in their lives. Even Will teared up as he squeezed her hand and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead. All of this made Davia realize just how many things have changed since she began to date Daryl.

Beth burst out into tears involuntarily when she saw Davia. It killed her to see her best friend in the condition she was in. What type of monster would do this to someone as sweet and kind as Davia? Anger rose up in sweet little Beth Greene like never before. She herself now wanted to find the asshole that almost took her friend away from them. Beth was not one for vengeance, but right now it was all she could think about.

The group only visited with Davia for a short period of time before they could see just how much they were wearing her out. Davia needed rest and yet she still felt obligated to put on a happy face so that this new family of hers wouldn't worry. But the truth was, they were all worried about her. Davia had a long road of recovery ahead of her and they would all by lying to themselves if they thought otherwise.

After they left it was just Davia and Daryl remaining in the room. Davia weakly reached out her hand for Daryl to take. He immediately obliged her request and held her hand to him.

"I reckon piano playing is out for a while." She said trying to ease the tension she could sense rolling off of Daryl.

"Dale can hire a band for ya. You do good performing up front anyhow." He said trying to be positive.

"I must be quite a sight. No one said anything, but I could see the reactions on their faces. You wouldn't mind getting me a mirror would you?" She asked.

"Ain't nothing you need to see. Let the swelling go down and you'll be just fine. Besides it ain't about how ya look to me Davia. It's the person you are on the inside." He told her, attempting to offer comforting words.

However, Davia began to cry softly "Is it that bad Daryl? So bad you won't even let me look at myself?" She asked.

"Just don't want you getting yourself upset." He told her.

"I appreciate it Daryl, but I want to see what he did to me. I want to remember." She insisted.

Daryl huffed, but got up and went to the bathroom and removed the mirror. He carried it over to Davia who opened her eyes, which were mere slits from the swelling, and put it in front of her. Davia looked intently at herself and sighed.

"It's pretty bad. I look like a fucking freak." She said frustrated.

"It's temporary Davia. The swelling will…" He was interrupted by her.

"Daryl, Don't take this wrong, but I want you to leave." She said.

"No Davia, I ain't leaving ya." He insisted.

"Sorry…that didn't come out the way I intended. Look, These pain meds are kicking in and I can barely hold my eyes open. I want you to go find Rick and find out who did this. The longer he is out there the more of a chance there is of him doing it to someone else. Please Daryl, I know I sound like I don't want you around, but you have to find this guy." She begged.

"I'll go, but I ain't leaving you here alone. I'm gonna find someone to stay with you until I return. Will that work?" He asked.

"Perfectly." She replied.

…

Will and Jacqui volunteered to stay with Davia with no resistance at all. That allowed Daryl to call Rick, who seemed relieved that Daryl had contacted him. Zach and Beth brought Daryl back to the apartment complex where he could meet up with Rick and then pick up his truck. As Beth and Zach were about to leave Zach's car sputtered. "Shit" Zach said, "I think one of the fuel injectors is gummed up. Beth why don't you call Glenn to come pick us up?"

Daryl shook his head "Just take my truck and I will get Rick to take me to the hospital when we are done. We'll work out everything after that."

Rick came over to the trio "Zach can I get you to do me a favor? Would you mind stopping by my house and letting Carol know what is going on? She's watching the kids and I don't want her to panic when I don't get off of my shift at the regular time. I've been trying to call her and I can't get through…I think her cell is dead."

Zach agreed and then the young couple left. Rick took a deep sigh and then turned to Daryl. Frustration was evident in the Sheriff's body movements.

"We don't have any leads Daryl. It's dark and we don't even know where to begin." Rick told him.

Daryl took a look around the complex and the first thing he noticed was a blue truck that he hadn't seen before. "Over here, this truck ain't been here before." He said pointing to the beat up old Ford.

Rick and Daryl walked over to the truck and Daryl asked Rick if he had a flashlight. Rick nodded and handed Daryl the light. Daryl took the light and began to run it over the abandoned truck taking in every detail he could.

"Rick come check this out." He told the officer.

Rick walked over to the driver's side of the truck where Daryl was crouched down examining something. "This truck's been in an accident recently and I think it might have been the one to run the Greene's off that cliff." He said pointing out the damage to Rick.

Then Daryl continued "There is a missing headlight and you can see that the damage doesn't have any rust formed along it, which says it is new. You can also see flecks of red paint here stuck in the grooves and dents, and Mrs. Greene's car was red." Daryl said pointing out his observation to Rick.

Rick immediately summoned another officer over and instructed him to mark the truck as evidence. They called in the license plate number to see if they could determine whom the vehicle belonged too and it took less than a minute for the result to come back. Ed Peletier.

Daryl suddenly felt sick. Had he not chosen to go down to fill out the fucking paperwork for the restraining order he would have been home to protect Davia from the asshole he was filing the paperwork against.

Daryl looked up at Rick "Asshole is as good as dead because when I get my hands on him I'm gonna kill him." Daryl stated in a matter of fact manner.

"I appreciate your sentiment Daryl, but you have to let the law handle this. The last thing I want is for you to get arrested for attempted murder. I got much bigger plans for you." Rick said, referring to the conversation he had earlier with Daryl.

"Fine we'll do it your way. Take me up to the apartment, I want to look around." Daryl insisted.

Rick led Daryl up to the disheveled apartment and Daryl began to look around at the mess. He noticed Davia's kitchen knife on the floor and noticed that it was covered in blood, not just blood droplets. Daryl went to pick it up but Rick stopped him. "Not without gloves Daryl." He instructed.

Daryl nodded and then crouched over the knife pointing it out to Rick "This ain't Davia's blood. She was beat up but she wasn't stabbed. Looks like she got the bastard at some point during the struggle." Quickly Daryl got up and went out to the front walkway. He asked for Rick's flashlight again and began to shine the light around towards the steps. Sure enough, he found what he had been looking for, blood droplets. "Looks like the asshole left us a trail."

The droplets of blood were faint and barely visible, but to an experienced tracker like Daryl they were easy to spot. Years of hunting deer and various other prey in the woods had taught Daryl what to look for and what direction he needed to follow to find a wounded animal. It didn't take long for him to pick up the trail that led from the apartment building to the woods. Daryl was so intent on following the droplets that he didn't realize that Rick and his officers were now following him into the woods.

Daryl followed the trail for at least an hour, finally losing it as they reached the highway. "Trail ends here. Looks like he hopped a ride somewhere. That fucker could be anywhere now." Daryl said angrily.

"Daryl we've got a lead and that's more than we had a few hours ago." Rick assured the man.

Daryl looked at Rick pensively "I promised Davia I would find him. Kinda hard to do when you don't know where he went."

Rick had put out an APB for Ed and he and Daryl went back to the apartment. The Crime scene investigation at the apartment was over and Daryl took the time to take in the scene around him. Blood was everywhere and Davia's bloody handprints were still on the wall. Daryl spoke to no one in particular, but Rick heard him "My girl put up a fight, a damn good one…she's a tough cookie."

"Daryl, why don't you get some of her items and take them to her at the hospital. I'll carry you to get your truck and then I can go home and you can go to Davia." Rick said.

Daryl agreed and tried to get Zach on the cell, but there was no answer. So he tried Beth, and once again he didn't get an answer either. "Hmmm…they ain't answering. They better not be screwing in my truck." Daryl joked.

"Well let's go by the house so I can check on Carol and the kids and let her know what is going on. Then we can take a ride out to the Greene farm." Rick told him.

Daryl ran back up the apartment and grabbed a change of clothes for himself and some clean clothes for Davia. He found her Ipod and threw that and a few toiletries into a bag for her. Being in the hospital his self recently he knew that little things like wearing your own clothes made a difference in helping you feel more human. After he gathered up the items he ran back down to the parking lot to meet Rick at his patrol car.

They headed towards Rick's house in a comfortable silence when Daryl finally asked a question.

"How's it going with Carol living over there with you?" Daryl asked curiously.

"It's good, we are helping each other out through a rough time. Her shifts at the hospital work well with mine and the kids get along well. I can't cook worth a damn and the woman is a damn miracle worker in the kitchen. Lori never could cook worth a fuck. Right now getting a divorce and finding out the paternity of the child are the two things outside of work I am most focused on." Rick told Daryl. It had actually surprised Rick that Daryl asked him a personal question.

"I don't know how you keep from beating the shit out of Walsh. I mean what he did…and then you have to still work with the bastard." Daryl stated.

"Well I hold rank over Shane, and have made sure we work opposite shifts. To be honest with you, things between Lori and me have been bad for a while. I can't say I was surprised. Lori and I have been having problems for years, and I think it's because she has always had a thing for Shane. She admitted to me she had been in love with him all the way back to High School, but Shane was interested in conquests, not a relationship. My guess is he will get tired of her, like he has everyone else he has been involved with…but that doesn't make what happened any easier. Carl is having a hard time with all of this. He loves Shane and now he doesn't know how to act. I've noticed he's been acting out a lot lately." Rick confessed to Daryl.

"You really think I got what it takes to be a cop? Not a lot of people around this town would agree with you." Daryl said solemnly.

"Daryl, don't repeat this, but have you seen some of the cops I work with? You already are light years ahead of them with intuition and you haven't had any training. I really hope you consider my offer." Rick assured him.

"I still haven't had a chance to talk to Davia about it, but I am considering it." Daryl confirmed.

"Glad to hear it." Rick said.

As they pulled up to Rick's house, Daryl noticed his truck was parked in the front yard with both doors open. "What the fuck?" Daryl said out loud, but before he could say anymore Rick had shoved the car in park and had pulled his Colt Python.

"Daryl, stay in the car…something is off here." He told Daryl.

"I ain't staying here like some pussy Rick." Daryl responded.

Rick didn't respond back but immediately ran towards the front door of the house. The front door had been kicked in and there was broken glass all over the front porch. Rick went into the house with his gun drawn "Carol" he yelled. There was no response.

"Carl" he yelled this time, a bit more of a panic sounding in his voice.

While Rick was investigating the house Daryl had headed towards his truck to determine what had happened. As he approached the truck he heard moaning and immediately went to investigate the noise. Lying on the ground in front of his truck was a wounded Zach. A bullet wound was gaping open from his shoulder and blood was pooling underneath him.

"Zach…" Daryl said as he rushed to his friend's side.

"They took us by surprise and they both had a gun…" Zach said weakly.

"Where are the others?" Daryl asked.

"They tied up Beth and Carol and threw them in the backseat of the truck they were driving and took the kids as well. One of 'em was Ed Peletier, and the other was a greasy looking white guy. Ed called him 'Len'" Zach managed to get out. It was obvious to Daryl that Zach was in immense pain.

"Hold on buddy, helps coming." Daryl said.

Rick had made his way out to the two other men in his front yard and Daryl relayed to him what Zach had told him. A look that Daryl couldn't quite pinpoint appeared on Rick's face. He wasn't sure if it was anger, concern, or both.

"They are fucking with the wrong people." Rick said out loud.

Daryl and Rick administered first aid to Zach until the paramedics arrived and then Rick instructed Daryl to take his truck and go to the hospital.

"Rick, I can help you find them." Daryl insisted.

"No, you aren't law enforcement and there is too much of a risk involved. Go to the hospital and be there for Davia and Zach. I can't have you involved with this at this point. Do you see now why I need you on my team?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, I get it. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to find them. They are going to realize very quickly that they have made a fatal mistake." Rick insisted.

…

Ed had made his way through the woods and out to the highway. He couldn't believe his luck when one of his drinking buddies, Len, had drove by and spotted him. Len picked up the slightly injured Ed and Ed informed him of the activities that had taken place with "Dixon's woman".

The two men went back to Len's trailer and began drinking, and as they drank the anger boiled over. Len had informed Ed that he had heard Carol was living with the Sheriff, Rick Grimes and that sent Ed into yet another fit of rage. The resulting anger led both men to the Grime's house seeking vengeance.

When the arrived at the house, Zach and Beth had just arrived to deliver the information Rick had given them to Carol. They were out on the porch chatting when Ed and Len pulled into the driveway taking the trio by surprise. Zach began to approach the drunken men, but was met quickly with a gun shot blast to the shoulder that sent him back a few feet upon impact, and rendered him unconscious. Before he totally blacked out he witnessed Ed and Len manhandling Beth and Carol, while ushering Sophia and Carl into the now crowded back seat of Len's extended cab Chevrolet truck.

Before Zach went out completely, he managed to pick up the last four digits of the license number. Unfortunately, he was unable to call for any help and blacked out. When he came too Daryl was kneeling at his side checking his injuries and trying to revive the younger man.

…

Daryl was torn as to what to do. He really wanted to be with Davia especially knowing that Ed was still out there as a threat. He also felt personally involved in this case now since Ed had hurt and kidnapped people that Daryl was personally vested with. Damn life was easier when it was just he and Merle, but it was also a miserable lonely existence.

Rick had crossed over to a violent mindset and it concerned Daryl that Rick's actions could possibly lead to him making a very rash and dangerous decision. Rick was no longer acting as a cop, but as a man out to protect his family, and when something was this personal, you couldn't always trust yourself to do the right thing. Rick's career and son were now at risk, along with Beth and Carol, and Carol's daughter Sophia. What scared Daryl the most was the thought that Ed could do something to hurt the young girl just to spite Carol. When he was young Will would transfer his anger at his wife for leaving him to a very young Daryl and those scars both physical and mental never left him. He re-lived those horrible moments of his life everyday.

Daryl pulled the key out of the ignition of his truck and ran over to Rick's patrol car before the sheriff had a chance to pull out. Rick rolled down his window when he saw Daryl approaching.

"I'm going with ya Rick. I'll sign a waiver saying I take responsibility for my own actions if you need me too, but this is too big of a deal to not help. You said you needed my skills, so I'm offering them to you. Davia told me she wants me to make sure Ed don't hurt no one else, so I'm doing this for her. Plus Beth and Zach are two of my closest friends, and right now Zach can't do anything to help out his girl. You can take me with you or I will follow, but one way or the other I'm gonna help you get them back…safely." Daryl told him.

"Get in." Rick responded in a monotone voice.

"Hold on one sec." Daryl said as he ran back to his truck and pulled out his crossbow. "Got my own weapon…just in case." Daryl told Rick.

The two men left Rick's house and headed out to the outskirts of Blue Ridge. The first place they checked was Len's trailer. Of course, no one was there, but Rick began to knock on the doors of some of the neighbors to see if he could find out some information. One older man, who lived a few trailers down informed Rick that Len had an old hunting cabin up in the mountains, but he wasn't exactly sure where it was. He was able to give a rough estimate though of where it was located.

"Thanks" Rick told the older man and then he looked to Daryl.

"I know where there are some old shacks about fifteen miles out of town. It's a long shot, but I know my Dad would go up there and hunt, and of course drink. A lot of moonshiners up there too. Could be dangerous if they see us. They don't take too kind to strangers up there." Daryl replied.

"Show me." Rick said.

The two men took the drive in relative silence. Rick had radioed his location in and requested that they get the Georgia SBI involved so they could get reinforcements and also see if they could get a helicopter up for reconnaissance. Because kidnapping was involved now in this case it was now a state/federal crime and they would be justified in requesting the extra back up.

Daryl pointed to the small dirt path that left the highway and headed up towards the cluster of hunting cabins. They drove a good ways and then Rick suggested that they park the car and cover the remaining distance on foot. Daryl agreed.

Jackpot. As they approached the cabins Daryl's hunch proved right. Len's truck was parked outside one particularly decrepit cabin. Unfortunately, there were two other trucks there as well, which meant that they were now dealing with a group larger than just Ed and Len.

Rick looked at Daryl and then spoke "You hold up right here for a moment and let me see if I can get a look inside. Watch my back."

Daryl nodded and crouched down in a defensive position as Rick silently headed towards the back of the cabin. He returned within a minute and relayed the details of what he observed inside to Daryl.

"Carol, Beth, and Carl are all tied up together and Ed has Sophia with him. There are four men inside, and they all appear to be armed with handguns. The biggest risk will be trying to get them out without any of them getting injured."

Daryl thought for a moment "We can create some sort of distraction that would lure them out, and then pick them off one by one. It might be easier than waiting for backup. The more people in the area, the more chances of them knowing we are here and the more chances of them doing something to hurt them."

"It's a good plan Daryl, but lets wait a bit and see what happens. They may fuck up on their own. Have your weapon ready just in case."

…

When Ed and Len had surprised the group at Rick's house Beth had fought with everything she could to prevent being taken. She had seen Zach go down with a gunshot wound, and feared the worse. Carol had tried to beg and plead with Ed to leave the kids behind, arguing the point that he was upset with her, not Sophia. But Len had stated that by taking Beth and the kids it would increase their ability to bargain.

Ed didn't care about gaining anything other than revenge on his estranged wife and controlling what was his, especially Sophia. Sophia was his prize and no one had any right to his girl, and for Rick Grimes to even attempt to think he could take his place infuriated the man.

When they arrived at the isolated cabin in the woods, they met up with two more of their cohorts, Joe and Dan. Dan had been charged numerous times for pedophilia but none of the charges had ever stuck since he had a way of 'convincing' his victims not to testify. Men like Dan deserved a special place in Hell, yet he still walked free.

The other man was a guy named Joe. He was older and wiser than the other two men were, but no less sinister. He possessed patience and would kill you while giving you a warm smile. Joe was the clinical definition of a cold-blooded killer.

Dan had taken a particular interest in the kids, but Ed threatened to kill the man if he even looked at Sophia. She was his, and his to do with what he pleased. Ed wasn't much better than Dan, but had yet to act upon his urges. However, the looks that he gave his own daughter had sent fear and suspicion through Carol. It only reiterated her decision to get her and Sophia away from Ed. Unfortunately for them both they were now in an even more dangerous situation.

So far, Carol had only been roughed up slightly by Ed, but she knew if they didn't get out of their predicament soon, things were going to go badly, very badly. Joe had taken one good look at Beth and realized he knew who she was "This is old Doc Greene's baby daughter. Quite the little singer. Why don't you sing us a little something?" He asked.

"Don't feel much like singing right now." She grumbled.

"Well little princess, you may change your mind after a while. I tell you what, you play nice with me and I will make sure this is as painless as possible." The veiled threat not being missed by Beth.

Beth squeaked out "Maybe later I will sing something."

"Good girl." The older man said with a smile.

Carl, Carol, and Beth had been tied up and placed against the back wall of the cabin while the four other men had sat down to play poker and enjoy some whiskey that Dan had produced. Ed had Sophia sitting on his lap and the young girl looked terrified.

While the men were playing cards Carl whispered to Carol "What are we going to do? My dad doesn't know where we are at."

"Shhh Carl, just do as they say for right now. We will figure out a way to get out of this."

After about an hour of the men playing cards Beth caught movement out of the corner of her eye and looked up to see Rick looking in the cabin. He didn't notice that she had caught sight of him, but at least she knew they were there. Beth realized she needed to do something to help distract the men.

"Um sirs?" She said sweetly.

"What is it princess?" Joe replied.

"I have to pee." She said as innocently as she could possibly muster.

Len replied rudely "Well pee then."

Joe then yelled at the man "Len, don't you have any God Damn manners? This is a lady and you need to respect her. Get up and take her out to the privy."

Beth tried hard not so show her elation. Her plan was to get one of the men to take her outside so hopefully Rick and whoever was with him could pick the guy off. That would be one less asshole to deal with and then hopefully she could get herself to safety and let whoever she found know every detail she had taken in. It wasn't the greatest plan, but it was something. She wouldn't rest though until the others were safe as well.

Len led Beth out of the cabin to the rudimentary outhouse in a rather rough manner, bruising her arm as he held onto it tightly.

"You're hurting me." She said softly.

"Tough. Get used to it you little bitch. If it wasn't for Joe being so sweet on you I would have thrown you on the table and fucked you senseless." He said angrily.

Beth tried hard to fight off the bile rising in her throat. The thought of the dirty sleazy man having his way with her made her sick. She opted not to respond.

As they walked towards the outhouse Beth suddenly felt Len's hand release from her arm as he dropped to the ground dead, with a bolt stuck through his forehead. Quickly Rick emerged from the woods and grabbed Beth, pulling her back into the cover of the foliage.

"Beth, are you OK?" Daryl asked quickly.

She nodded "Zach is…"

"…At the hospital. He was wounded, not dead."

A sigh of relief left Beth's mouth. "There are three others in the house and they have Carol and Carl tied up. I saw Rick and made an excuse to go to the restroom. They are going to figure something out quickly if I don't return with the dead guy."

Daryl thought for a second. "OK, here is what we do. Beth I want you to scream, like the guy is going at ya, and we will see if any of them leave the cabin in response. We will try to take out who we can and hopefully they will leave the others in the cabin when they check out the scream."

"That's a good plan Daryl… I keep saying you are a natural for this line of work." Rick said.

"Yeah, you keep saying that. Now let's get the others out of there."

Beth screamed as she was told and sure enough, Joe and Dan came out of the cabin, but Dan now had Carl in his grasp, a knife to the boy's neck. Daryl quickly took out Joe with another bolt, but with the position that Dan was holding Carl, neither man could get a shot off.

"Come out and show yourself and the boy don't die." Dan said confidently.

Rick told Daryl to stay behind. "Give me the crossbow and you take my gun. He doesn't need to know there are two of us here."

Rick presented himself and the fat man holding Carl let a small smile play across his face. "It would seem we are at an impasse here Sheriff Grimes."

Rick was more than familiar with Dan because he had picked him up on numerous charges in the past. Rick also knew the guy had a sick attraction to children.

"No, I think we can work something out Dan." Rick said as he gave Carl a quick wink. As if on Cue, Carl let his body go limp, which allowed the boy to slip out of Dan's grasp and Rick took the chance to pounce on the pedophile and began to beat him with Daryl's crossbow. Soon the man was unconscious and Rick continued to beat the man until he was no longer among the living. It was if something in Rick snapped when he saw his son was in danger.

"Rick…Stop." Daryl said not half believing what he was witnessing. The normally laid back Rick had become a savage.

Rick gained his composure and the two men entered the cabin, to find Carol still tied up but Sophia and Ed gone. While Rick had been taking care of Dan, Ed had taken the opportunity to slip out the window with his daughter.

"Fuck me." Daryl said out loud.

Beth and Carl had now rushed back into the cabin and were helping Carol out of her bindings. By some miracle Ed had left her behind unharmed, but that might not have been a good thing. He had Sophia and she had no one to protect her from the monster that was her father.

"Sophia…" Carol cried out when they removed the bindings from her mouth.

"We'll find her." Rick said as he dropped down to Carol and pulled her into his arms.

…

Daryl and Rick walked out of the cabin, leaving Carl, Carol, and Beth inside until the SBI and others on the Blue Ridge police force could arrive.

Daryl looked at the three bodies laying on the ground and Rick spoke "Daryl, you can't tell anyone I let you take the shots with the bow. If they ask, it was me. You are a civilian and it wouldn't bode well for either of us if they knew."

"Got it." Daryl said.

The others arrived in short time and agreed to put up a chopper to try to find Ed and Sophia. They agreed to release an Amber alert to the media in hopes of limiting the places that Ed could hide with his daughter. Daryl had attempted to track Ed again, but the weather had turned south and it began to pour, washing away any hopes he had of following the tracks into the woods. It broke his heart when he saw how terrified Carol was for her daughter. Just knowing what little he did know about Ed, she had every right to be.

It was now close to three in the morning, and Daryl was exhausted, but still functioning on adrenaline. Rick brought Daryl and Beth back to his house so Daryl could get his truck and then take Beth to the hospital to see Zach. Daryl also wanted to check on Davia and see how she was doing. He hadn't received any phone calls or messages, so he took that as good news.

When they arrived at the hospital Hershel, Maggie, and Glenn, as well as Zach's parents met Beth in the hospital lobby. They had taken Zach into surgery to repair the damage in his shoulder. Though Zach would survive the wound, he had some nerve and muscle damage and a neurologists was attempting to correct the damage caused by the shotgun blast.

Beth was exhausted, but still managed to relay the entire story about being taken to everyone. Rick had spoken to her about the same subject he had spoken to Daryl about, and Beth agreed it was easier to just say that Rick had borrowed Daryl's crossbow. No one seemed to question it, so as far as she was concerned it was the truth.

…

Daryl dragged himself up to the third floor where Davia's room was. He walked in and found his father asleep on the couch in the room and Jacqui asleep in a chair beside the bed, still holding onto Davia's hand. Daryl walked over to Davia's bedside and Jacqui woke up.

Daryl then whispered "Thanks for keeping an eye on her. It's been a hectic day. Any changes since I left?"

"She's been asleep pretty much the whole time you were gone, which is good. The rest will do her well in recovering. They have her pretty drugged with pain medication and the doctor said they are going to do an MRI on her in the morning to make sure there isn't any more internal bleeding." Jacqui told him.

"Good deal. Have y'all got a place to stay while you are here? I didn't even think to ask and I know y'all weren't expecting to be here." Daryl said, genuinely concerned.

"Will talked with Hershel and we are going to stay with the Greene's. Did y'all find Beth and the others?" Jacqui asked.

"Yeah, it was a big mess but everyone is OK. Ed Peletier took his daughter though and he got away. I'll tell y'all the whole story once I get some sleep. I'm beat." Daryl admitted to his stepmother.

"Let me get Will up and we will head over to Hershel's place. Take care of yourself Daryl." Jacqui said as she reached out and took his hand and gave it a squeeze. The more Daryl got to know Jacqui, the more he adored her.

"I will…and once again Thanks for staying with her. She means the world too me." Daryl told her.

"I know she does Daryl…it shows."

…

Jacqui and Will left to meet up with the Greene's in the lobby and head back to the farm. Beth opted to stay with Zach since he hadn't woken up yet from his surgery. Daryl had to admit, the young woman was smart and cunning and Zach wasn't a pushover either. He risked his life without thinking to protect Beth, Carol, and the kids. Yeah, he was pleased with his friends and liked having others in his life. Even his dad was stepping up now, and that felt good.

Daryl slipped into the chair Jacqui had occupied and picked up Davia's hand and wrapped his rough larger hand around hers. It killed him to see her so battered, and he was more than a little disappointed that he didn't get Ed and exact his vengeance on the man, but tomorrow was another day, and he had promised Davia he would make Ed pay.

Daryl was beginning to doze off when he heard Davia stir. He opened his eyes to see her looking at him wordlessly.

"Hey angel girl. How are ya feeling?" He asked softly, his voice almost hoarse with exhaustion.

"I've felt better, but I'm glad you are back. Did you get him?" She asked.

"Close, but not quite. It's a long story and you and I both need some rest." He told her. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Davia about what had really happened. He would tell her, but not right now, she didn't even know about Zach yet.

"I'm glad you are here Daryl." She said weakly.

"Me too Davia. I love you baby." He told her.

"I love you too Daryl. Still promise me you will get the man that did this too me."

"I promise I will Davia. I also want to talk to you about an opportunity that has come up for me. I am thinking about making a career change." He told her. Only he was more than thinking about it. Daryl had decided that Law Enforcement might be exactly the career he was suited for. He just hoped that Davia would accept his decision.

**Hey y'all I'm back. Not real sure what to think about this chapter. It was definitely much more Daryl centric. What are your thoughts on his career change? I came REALLY close to killing off Beth this chapter, just because I was so upset about what happened in the show, but Ms. DarylDixon'sLover convinced me not too. **

**Please review this one for me and let me know what you are thinking. The Bad news is NO TWD until Feb...the Good news is my stress level will be lower now. After the MSF I couldn't sleep I was so upset, and then watching Emily Kinney on Talking Dead sent me into a sobbing fit. I was really surprised at how they handled her death, I had hoped that they would have left a question, but I guess they didn't see it the way I did.**

**Love y'all, and you don't have any idea how much Walking Dead Therapy you offer me.**

**Take care and once again,Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. I haven't quite decided where I am going with the Ed/Sophia story line...so please weigh in if you want her to survive or not. **

**Take care-**

**Missy **


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning they took Davia down to perform the MRI and Daryl took the opportunity to go and get his staples removed. He was relieved to finally have the damn things out and the doctor had assured him that his wounds had healed up perfectly. Too bad the scars would be there for all of eternity to remind him of that awful night that eventually led to his brother's death. Daryl carried a lot of scars as reminders of his hellish past, but the ones from Merle seemed to hurt the most. They represented what his brother had become.

As fucked up as Merle was, Daryl missed him. Maybe if Will had come back into their lives a year earlier things might have been different, but part of him truly believed that Merle was damaged a long time ago and probably too far gone to ever redeem himself. But then again, Daryl thought that about Will, and look how Will had eventually changed.

Daryl had planned on proposing to Davia the previous night, but with everything that had gone on, he hadn't had a chance. He wanted to talk to someone about the best way to go about doing it, and unfortunately Rick didn't seem like as good as an option as he had thought. With what Lori had put him through Rick probably didn't want to think about things like marriage proposals. Daryl had one other option and he thought it was crazy, but he was a bit desperate. He could ask Will.

Daryl made his way back to Davia's room. She still hadn't returned from her MRI and he took the time to unpack the bag he had brought. He took a quick shower while waiting and then he sat down in the recliner beside her bed and turned on the news. The first story was the Amber alert that had been issued for Sophia. He made a note to call Rick, but before he did, he wanted to tell Davia his plans. It was a huge decision, but after last night, it made more sense career wise than anything else did. He seemed born for a career in law enforcement in spite of his last name being Dixon.

He didn't have to wait too long before they brought Davia back into the room. The swelling had already started to subside, but the bruises were still very prevalent on her face and arms. Dr. Mahmet accompanied her and when he saw Daryl he gave the man a slight smile.

"Good news Mr. Dixon, your wife seems to be on the mend. There isn't any internal bleeding and the swelling on her brain is gone. You should be able to take her home in a day or two."

Panic suddenly over took Daryl. The house wouldn't be ready until Friday at the earliest, and it was Wednesday. There wasn't any way he would take her back to the apartment and the memories that it would hold for her, and she had begged him not too as well.

"Glad to hear it. How much recovery time is she going to need?" Daryl asked.

"Just until everything heals. The bruises should be gone within a week and probably about six weeks for her broken fingers to heal up. After that she should be good as new. Um, Mr. Dixon can I speak to you outside?" Milton asked.

Daryl nodded and then went over and gave Davia a quick kiss "I'll be back shortly." He promised her. She looked tired, but relieved that he had been there waiting for her.

Dr. Mahmet began to speak to Daryl as Daryl entered the hallway "Physically she is fine, but mentally I'm worried about her. She hasn't really discussed the incident, which means she could break at anytime. The good news is that the rape kit came back negative. I really recommend you find her a mental health provider so she can be prepared to deal with what happened."

"Anything for her. Do you have any suggestions?" Daryl asked.

"I can get you a list of specialists that deal with physical abuse. It wouldn't hurt you either to maybe attend some of the sessions with her because in most cases the victim isn't the only one that has to deal with the repercussions of what has happened." Dr. Mahmet told him.

"I'll take that under advisement. How long do you think it will take her to deal with all of this?" Daryl asked curiously.

"Could be later today, could be next week, or it could be next year. It's different with everyone. Right now the most important thing is that she feels safe. I think you provide that for her already. Now if you will excuse me, I have another patient to attend too. Someone will get you the list of available care providers. Thank you Mr. Dixon." The doctor said as he extended his hand to Daryl. Daryl looked apprehensive, but he shook the strange doctor's hand in response.

He entered back into the room and resumed his spot in the recliner beside the bed. "How ya doing today baby?"

"Sore, but I'm OK." She said.

"You are already looking better, the swelling has gone down." He told her.

"I'm glad. Did I dream it, or did you mention something about changing jobs last night?" She asked.

"You didn't dream it, Rick has offered me a job as a cop and I think I'm gonna take him up on it." Daryl said quickly, holding his breath as he waited for her response.

"I think that is a good idea Daryl." She said simply.

"Really…I thought you would be mad at me."

"Why would I be mad at you if this is something that makes you happy? I think you would make a fine police officer…plus I am a sucker for a man in uniform." She joked.

"There is a lot that has to happen in a short period of time though." He informed her.

"Like what?" She asked.

"I have to take the GED test, and then I have to go to the police academy in Atlanta for three months. The classes start in January. Rick is going to bring me on to the force as a trainee, which means I will work weekends and nights until I finish up. It's going to mean that we won't have a lot of time together for a few months. I'm going to take an accelerated course though so it will be for three months instead of six." He informed her.

"We'll get through it Daryl. That does mean I need to get a vehicle pretty quick. I found one before…well before I ended up here. Maybe you can check it out for me." She said.

"I'll do that for you and then if it checks out we can get it this weekend, if you are up to it." He told her.

"That sounds good Daryl. I guess I will be getting out of here sooner than I thought." She told him.

"Yep. I don't want you to worry about going back to the apartment. I'm gonna go to the house today and work on it. Jacqui and Will are gonna come stay with ya. I would have asked Beth, but there was an incident last night." He told her, trying to ease her into a conversation of what had happened the previous night.

"What do you mean an incident? Is Beth OK?" Davia asked, slight panic in her voice.

"She's fine, but Zach is here as a patient. Ed and one of his buddies attacked them at Rick's house when they stopped by to see Carol. They took Carol, Beth, and the kids and shot Zach." Daryl said quickly.

"SHOT ZACH? Daryl Oh My God, is he…And Beth?"

"Recovering. He took a gunshot wound to the shoulder and they had him in surgery repairing the damage. Rick and I rescued the others, except for Sophia; Ed took her and ran. Look you are probably gonna hear about it on the news, but we had to eliminate three of the men and it wasn't pretty." Daryl told her.

"Rick had to take out three men?" She asked confused.

"Yeah, except he might have had a little help with two of them. The less you know the better, but unfortunately Ed took off with Sophia but we got Carol, Beth, and Carl. They have issued an Amber alert for the little girl and I want to help Rick find her. Right now the Georgia SBI is involved too." Daryl explained to Davia.

"Do you think he will hurt her?" Davia asked.

"Ain't sure, but I hope not. We gotta find her though. No telling where he went. I tried to track him but it started raining and I lost the trail." Daryl said with regret in his voice.

"Don't let that defeat you Daryl, you have no control over the weather."

"I know baby. I've got a lot I need to do today if that is OK with you. I want to work on the house and talk to Rick." Daryl said.

"Do you think you will have the house ready by Friday?" She asked.

"I will if it kills me. All the furniture is supposed to be delivered Friday so I hope it's ready. Everything except our bed. We didn't get a chance to pick it out." He told her.

"If you can bring me my laptop we can order it online tonight. Will that work?" She asked him.

"Yeah, that will work out good." He told her.

"Daryl I wanna take a shower and get Ed's filth washed off of me. Would you mind helping me?" She asked quietly.

"Of course I will Davia. You don't even have to ask. I brought you some clothes from the apartment…and your Ipod too. I know it feels better to be in your own things."

"Thank you Daryl. I don't know what I would do without you." She said to him sweetly.

Daryl thought that if she hadn't been with him none of this would have probably happened to her. Daryl blamed himself for her attack. Ed was looking for him, not her, and she ended up bearing the brunt of the man's rage.

Daryl helped Davia out of the bed and into the shower. Once she was clean he helped her get dressed and she pulled her hair into a side braid, being sure to cover up the small patch of missing hair where Dr. Mahmet had to go in and relieve the pressure of the swelling the previous day. Davia was in a lot of pain and had tried to avoid taking pain meds, but after the shower she was worn out and hurting.

As Daryl helped her get back into the bed they were surprised by a visit from Beth.

"Hey guys. Just wanted to let you know that Zach is doing better. He's already driving the nurses crazy and they said he can go home today." She told them.

Daryl then spoke "Glad to hear it. He scared the fuck out of me when I found him on the ground."

"Daryl, I don't know how to thank you for everything you did. You helped Zach and you rescued the others and me. You are a hero." She said softly.

"I didn't do nothing no one else wouldn't do. Hell, this is most likely my fault anyhow." Daryl told her.

"Stop it Daryl. I am not going to let you blame yourself. Ed Peletier is a crazy man and Rick is going to find him and make him pay." Beth said adamantly.

Davia then spoke "Well I'm just glad that Zach and you are both OK."

"Davia would you mind if I stayed down here with you for a few hours? Zach is resting and I just need a female to talk too." Beth admitted.

"I would love it." Davia said. She was tired, but spending time with her friend sounded therapeutic.

"Well if y'all are going to do all the girl talk I'm gonna get out of here and take care of things. I'll be back this evening. Will and Jacqui will be by after lunch to visit with ya." Daryl told them both. He went over and gave Davia a tender kiss and Beth smiled as she saw how sweet the gruff hunter could be. She was so thankful that God had put Daryl Dixon and Davia in her life…these were good people who meant a lot to her and she cherished them both.

…

After the events of the previous day, Hershel and Will were both exhausted. Both men were well into their sixties and far from their old selves. Thirty five years ago both men could be found making the rounds at all of the local bars drinking themselves into oblivion, but now all these years later both men were devout men of faith. They were sitting on Hershel's front porch enjoying sweet tea and conversing about how things have changed for them both.

"Hershel I never got to offer my condolences regarding your wife and son. I am truly sorry for your loss." Will said.

"Thanks Will that means a lot. You never think when they head out the door that it will be the last time you see them. It's hit us hard, especially with Beth, but she is a strong girl. It seems she and Zach have become close with your son and his lady." Hershel said.

"A lot different than how we were at that age. I'm glad Daryl has found some good friends. I put that boy through hell and always feared what he would turn out like. It appears that in spite of the horrific things I did to him he still turned out to be a good man. Must take after his momma." Will mused.

"I'm glad to see that you two are reconnecting after all these years. It says a lot about Daryl in the fact that he is willing to at least try. I've seen the boy over the years and he always kept to himself. He was very guarded and angry, but it would appear that his relationship with Davia has done him a world of good." Hershel told Will.

"She's a beautiful and sweet girl and I think Daryl has fallen hard for her. It's good to see him happy considering that I took so much of that away from him. Hershel if I hadn't left when I did I think I would have ended up killing the boy. He didn't deserve any of what I did to him, but every time I saw him I saw Nora and the pain of her leaving me just turned me into a monster." Will admitted.

"I don't think you gave her much of a choice at the time. She loved you Will…but the alcohol and drugs changed you. Did the same to me, but when Maggie was born I saw something so much better than the bottle." Hershel replied.

"If I could go back I wouldn't have ever taken the job out of town. Things were rough for us financially, but we could have made it. I just wanted to give so much more to Nora and Merle, but I fell in with the wrong crowd and it ended up destroying everything. When Nora told me she was pregnant with Daryl I didn't believe he was even mine. Not real sure why I would doubt Nora, she never lied to me once in her life, but I couldn't believe that as little as I was with her that we could create another life. I think I began to resent Daryl at that exact moment. Now I live with that regret every day. I know he doesn't fully trust me, and I don't blame him, but I am blessed that he has allowed me back into his life, even if he is guarded." Will told his old friend.

"It's gonna take time Will, but you are on the right path. It just goes to prove just how much character Daryl has. I don't think he even realizes it." Hershel told the man.

"I don't deserve his forgiveness, but maybe one day…" Will was interrupted by the sound of Daryl's truck coming up Hershel's driveway.

"Looks like your boy is here to see you. I'm gonna go lie down and try to catch up on some sleep and give you two some privacy. Will…It's been good getting to know you again. I hope we can continue to see each other in the future. It looks like our families are now joined through our children." Hershel said as he clapped Will on the shoulder.

Daryl parked his truck and walked up the front porch and took the seat that Hershel had just occupied. "Hey" Daryl said quietly.

"How's Davia this morning?" Will asked.

"On the mend. Doc said he is worried about her mentally but so far I haven't seen any signs of it. She is adamant on two things, one is that I find Ed and the other is that she doesn't want to go back to the apartment. I don't blame her though. The place is a wreck and covered in her own blood. She proved to me that she is a fighter though, she made her mark on the bastard." Daryl told his father.

"I'm just glad she made it." Will said.

"Wanted to talk to you about something." Daryl said nervously.

"Anything Daryl."

"I wanna ask her to marry me, but I don't know if I'm rushing it or not. How do you know if the time is right?" Daryl asked his father.

Will was taken aback by the question. His youngest son was asking him for fatherly advice and he had to fight to keep the emotion he was feeling from bubbling to the surface. This was the type of relationship a father and son were supposed to have and Daryl was now giving Will the chance to be the man he was supposed to be.

"Do you love her Daryl?" Will asked.

"More than anything. Never thought I could feel this way about anyone, but I need her like I need air. I would die for her." Daryl told his father.

"If you love her, then it isn't too soon. If you know your heart is true then everything will work out. I married your momma after only two weeks. We were young and slipped off in the night to South Carolina. She was sixteen and I was eighteen. Her daddy was furious with us when we came back, but he eventually accepted the marriage. Merle came nine months later and we were clueless as to what to do with a baby, but we made it work. I don't want to take anything away from my relationship with Jacqui, but those were the happiest times of my life. It sickens me every single day that I threw it all away." Will confessed.

Daryl nodded in agreement. "Well you're here now, and that is what matters." He said it so softly he wasn't sure Will had even heard him.

"Daryl I've got something for ya. I've had it with me for years as a reminder of what I lost." Will reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Inside was a gold and sapphire ring. The sapphire was adorned on either side by two identical diamonds and the gold banding was intricately woven.

"I gave this to your momma as soon as I could save up and afford it. She wore it every single day until the day she left. I had thought about pawning or selling it many times, but I couldn't. I loved her too much to let it go. I want you to take it and give it to Davia and let it be a reminder NOT to throw away a gift like I did. Daryl, I know I can't make up for what I did, but I will try to do right by you as my son every single day I still have breath left in my body." Will told him as he reached out tenderly and placed his hand on Daryl's arm.

Daryl didn't move or respond. A lump had formed in his throat and emotion was welling up in his eyes. He wasn't going to let himself display his emotions, but what Will had said to him gave Daryl a sense of release like he had never felt before. He had a father for the first time in his life that loved and cared for him and who had offered him a genuine apology for everything he had put his youngest son through. It didn't make what happened any less painful, but it gave Daryl hope for his future, and now Will was offering him his most cherished possession to start his future with Davia.

"Thank you." Was all Daryl could muster, but the emotion behind it let Will know just how appreciative his youngest son was.

"I hope you will invite me to your wedding." Will said smiling.

The two men sat in a comfortable silence when Daryl finally began to tell Will about his plans on becoming a police officer. Will offered his support and told Daryl how proud he was of him. "Bout time the Dixon's were on the right side of the law" The older man joked.

…

Daryl decided he would stop by the police station before he headed to the house. He hadn't been to the house in a couple of days and knew he now had the daunting task of trying to get it ready to move into by the weekend. If it wasn't ready he had decided he would fork over the cash to get a hotel to stay in for Davia. He wasn't going to allow her to return to the apartment under any circumstances. She had suffered enough and making her re-live what Ed had done to her was an unacceptable solution.

Daryl parked in front of the building and walked in looking for Rick. The first thing he noticed was Shane was sitting at his desk and when Shane saw Daryl he sneered "I thought we took trash out instead of bringing it into the building."

"Yeah, fuck you too Walsh." Daryl replied back.

Rick spotted Daryl and motioned for him to come into Rick's office. "Surprised to see you here today Daryl. You've got to be exhausted." Rick said.

"Your one to talk. I just wanted to drop by and tell you that I have decided to accept the position you offered if you haven't changed your mind."

"Daryl that is excellent news. No need to wait to make it official." Rick opened up his drawer and pulled out a brand new badge and then stood up, leading Daryl out into the main office of the police station.

"Can I have everyone's attention?" Rick said getting the attention of all those working at their desks, including Shane.

Rick looked at Daryl and instructed him to raise his right hand. Daryl did as instructed and Rick began to speak.

"Do you Daryl William Dixon Swear or affirm to follow by the abiding standards:

1 As a police officer representing the town of Blue Ridge and the county of Fannin you must live up to the absolute highest standards.

2\. You Shall uphold the Constitutional Rights of all citizens while performing their jobs.

3\. Your Duties shall be performed without regard to "race, religion, status, sex, political belief or aspiration" of anyone with whom you come in contact. Everyone will be treated politely and with dignity and respect.

4\. As an officer you will not allow personal feelings, beliefs and friendships to interfere with duty.

5\. Any Use of force should be reserved for the last option when negotiation and other efforts have been tried and have failed. Under no circumstances will you employ cruel or inhumane treatment.

6\. A police officer's behavior will be above reproach; you will not engage in any illegal activities, and will not condone illegal behavior in others.

7\. Your private life will be conducted in a way that will bring honor and respect. Your character will always be exemplary."

Daryl spoke adamantly "I affirm that I will"

"Then by the power invested in me as the Fannin County Sheriff and Blue Ridge Police force I confirm you as the newest member of this Force Daryl William Dixon." Rick confirmed shaking Daryl's hand.

Many of the officers applauded and came over to offer Daryl congratulations, except for one. Shane Walsh was not happy at all.

"Rick you can't be serious. Since when do we allow Redneck convicts onto the force? You are making a mockery of us all."

Daryl flew hot "Fuck you Walsh. I ain't no convict and I will be every bit as good as a cop as you if not better. Do you think I take this lightly?"

Before Shane could respond Rick spoke "Shane, that is uncalled for and unless you want to end up working funerals for the next six months I suggest you shut your mouth."

Shane turned red, but he held his tongue. He would deal with the situation in his own way. There was no way he was going to accept that Daryl Dixon was his equal. One way or another he would prove to Rick that he had made a huge mistake hiring Daryl as a cop.

…

Daryl and Rick went over all of the things Daryl had to complete to get ready for the police academy. A week from Friday he had to show up at the community college to take his GED test and Rick provided him with a copy of the GED study guide. Daryl had to admit he had an overwhelming week ahead of him. He had to give notice to Tyreese, study for an exam, get Davia home, and have the house ready in two days. On top of that Sophia was still missing and Rick was wanting Daryl to help in the search to find her and Ed.

Rick had told Daryl that Carol was struggling to keep her sanity and as a result he had decided to let Carl stay with Lori until the situation with Sophia and Ed was resolved. He resented the fact that Lori still deserved to be part of their son's life after what she had done, but he knew Lori loved Carl and would never hurt him, regardless of her feelings for Rick.

Daryl assured Rick he would do everything possible to help find Sophia and bring Ed to justice. Daryl just hoped the opportunity to exact revenge on Ed would present itself to him legally. Now that he was a sworn officer of the law it meant that he had to fight to keep his personal vendetta against the man who had caused Davia so much pain and fear had to be put to the side. Daryl knew this would be his toughest challenge in his new career.

…

After leaving the police station Daryl headed to the house to check on things. Tomorrow would be Thanksgiving and therefore an inspection wouldn't be possible. He did manage to have a home occupancy inspection scheduled for Friday though. He had one very big surprise planned for Davia that involved him contacting Dale and that would be the very first order of business once he got the permit for occupancy. Daryl had never remotely thought of doing something for someone else of this magnitude, but Davia wasn't just someone else. She was the woman he loved and hopefully would marry, if she would have him.

When he arrived back at the hospital he had so much he wanted to tell her, but Beth, his father, and Jacqui were all in her room visiting, along with Dale and Irma. Several bouquets of flowers had been delivered and Davia seemed to be in good spirits. Even though she was battered, her smile lit up the room and to Daryl she had never been more stunning.

"How's my girl?" He said as he entered the room.

"Daryl I am so glad you are back, I missed you." She said.

Will then spoke up "Good news Daryl, she's being discharged in the morning in time for Thanksgiving. Hershel has invited you two to stay at the farmhouse until you are ready to move into your new home."

Well that was one problem solved. Normally Daryl wouldn't have considered taking hospitality from someone else, and if it had been just him he would have just slept in his truck, but Hershel's generous offering solved one huge problem for Daryl.

"We are all spending Thanksgiving at the Greene's tomorrow," Jacqui said.

Beth then spoke up "Jacqui's daughter Michonne is coming up from Atlanta to meet everyone as well. With all that has happened with losing Momma and Shaun, Daddy wanted to have as many people around as possible. Maggie and me are going to cook the turkey and Ms. Jacqui has agreed to help us. You don't realize what a blessing it is for all of us to have y'all around."

Davia then spoke "Is this OK with you Daryl?"

"Sounds good. Is there anything I can bring?" He asked offering. He had no idea what protocol was for an event like this, but he thought the least he could do was ask.

"You bring Davia and yourself and then everything will be perfect." Beth said. She then turned to Dale and Irma "If you two don't have plans then you are invited as well. The more the merrier."

"Beth that is a very generous offer, but Irma and I are heading up to Virginia in the RV as soon as we leave here. Irma's brother lives just outside of Roanoke and we normally spend Thanksgiving with his family." Dale replied.

Beth then spoke "Well I hate to leave, but apparently I have a very impatient boyfriend who wants to get out of here, so I am going to take him home. I will see y'all tomorrow." She said smiling. She kissed Davia and then gave Daryl a hug as you exited the hospital room.

After a few minutes everyone else began to leave and the only ones who remained were Daryl, Davia, Will, and Jacqui. Daryl finally spoke "I didn't want to make a big deal out of this in front of everyone else, but y'all are looking at the newest member of the Blue Ridge Police Department." Daryl said as he pulled out his new badge and showed it to everyone.

"OMG Daryl, what about all the other stuff you have to do?" Davia asked.

"Still gotta do it, in fact I'm taking the GED next week, but Rick brought me on as a trainee and I will be pulling a paycheck." He said.

"Son I couldn't be more proud of ya." Will said as he made a move to give Daryl a hug. Daryl stood stiffly, but accepted the embrace and then Jacqui followed Will with a much more comfortable hug.

"Thanks that means a lot." Daryl said sincerely. "Reckon I'm gonna need to get a haircut…Rick said they are pretty strict about all of that at the police academy. Wonder what Merle would have to say about all of this?"

Davia then spoke "He might not have said what you would want to hear Daryl, but I know deep down he would have been proud of you. I'm so excited to see you in a uniform I don't know what to do." She said smiling brightly.

…

After Will and Jacqui left Davia noticed that Daryl seemed preoccupied. "What's going on Daryl?" She asked.

"A lot to get done in a short period of time. Have you picked us out a new bed yet?" He asked nervously.

"I think I found one you would like, It's king size bed, but it is perfect. If you hand me my laptop I can show it to you." She said to him. She knew he wasn't acting right, but she would let him tell her what was wrong on his own terms.

"Davia, I need to talk to you real serious about you and me." He said finally.

Oh God, this was it, he was going to tell her that she was nice, he loved her but he wasn't "in love" with her. She had heard it before, she just thought this one time would be different. She could feel the pit forming in her stomach and the ache building in her heart. Tears were already starting to form in anticipation of what came next. Fuck him…he got what he wanted from her and he was about to let the bottom drop. Daryl Dixon wasn't any better than the rest.

Daryl noticed the tears forming in her eyes and the look of panic on her face and he realized she thought he was going to tell her something bad. Now he felt like a total asshole…he really needed to work on his delivery.

"Davia it ain't bad, I swear to ya. Aw fuck, I didn't mean to scare ya." He said as he rushed to her and grabbed her small hands into his and brought them up to his lips and gave them a gentle kiss.

"Then what is it? Why do we need to 'talk'?" She said, trying not to let her voice crack with emotion.

"Look, this ain't the most ideal of circumstances, and you certainly deserve better than what I'm gonna do here, but Davia Longstreet, I want you to be my wife. I know we haven't known each other for a long time, but when you know something is true, you go with it. Girl I love you more than the air I breathe and I want you to take my name and have my babies. I want you to be my life…" Daryl said as he awkwardly pulled out the ring, took Davia's left hand, and slid the ring onto her ring finger. He didn't know if he did it right, since Daryl had never remotely thought about proposing, but this was him, and it was the best he could do.

Now Davia was crying again "Are you serious Daryl? This isn't some cruel trick…you really want to marry me?" She asked, half in disbelief. It was amazing how bad she read Daryl's intentions.

"Dead serious girl. You can think about it and let me know." He said, realizing she hadn't answered and trying to save a little dignity.

"No." She replied.

"OK." He said dejected.

"I mean, No, I don't need to think about it. I will marry you today, tomorrow, and always. Daryl I love you so much, but I still wonder why you want to be with someone like me? This is 'until death do us part' and I'm not one of those little hot numbers you used to date, I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, and I have more psychological baggage than you could imagine." Davia said.

"Girl, you barely spoke when I met you and now you want to challenge me? I ain't never loved no one before…not like I love you. I want you there with me every morning when I wake up until we are gray- headed and old. I love you and I'm begging you to accept it. I ain't changing my mind…for once in my entire God Damn life I know what I want, and it's you." He told her.

"Yes Daryl…Yes Yes Yes, a million times over Yes." She said enthusiastically trying to get out of her hospital bed so she could embrace her future husband.

"Stay there baby, I don't want ya getting hurt before we get hitched." Daryl said wrapping his arms around her and guiding her back down into the bed.

Davia admired the ring "Daryl this is the prettiest ring I have ever seen, did you design it?" She asked.

"Naw, can't take responsibility for that…it was my mother's, Daddy designed it for her back when they were young. When I told him what I wanted to do he gave it to me. If you don't like it we can get you another one." He said.

"I don't want another one Daryl…this belonged to your mother and was chosen by your father for her when they were in love. It is stunning and exquisite and I love it." She told him.

"You ain't afraid it's bad luck or nothing do you?" He asked.

"No, I think your father loved your mother so much he couldn't part with it…it represents the good in your family, and we are something Good Daryl Dixon." She said with tears streaming from the corner of her eyes.

"Aw hell Davia, I didn't want you to cry." Daryl said smirking.

"I'm happy Daryl…for the first time in my life I am truly happy. The shit that happened with Ed, that sucked, but I would go through it again if it ended up with the same result. Now give me my laptop so we can pick out a bed." She said laughing.

…

Daryl and Davia ate dinner in her room, neither wanting to be away from the other. Daryl had slipped out twice for a cigarette, knowing that with his physical training he was going to need to complete at the police academy that the smoking was going to either go away completely or get cut back drastically.

He was headed back up after his second smoke break when he noticed a blonde hanging around the door to Davia's room. "Who are you?" He asked abruptly.

"I'm looking for Mr. Dixon." She said before answering.

"Daryl, who's out there?" he heard Davia say from within the room.

Daryl entered the room and motioned for the blonde to follow him. "Once again who the hell are you? I don't take to kindly to people lurking around my fiancée." Daryl said, a little bloom of pride came over him as he used the term 'Fiancée" for the first time.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to alarm you. I am Andrea Miller, a licensed social worker for Fannin County. I've been working on a case that involves you directly Mr. Dixon and I have been trying to hunt you down for the past few days. A mutual acquaintance of ours, Mr. Dale Horvath said you were here at the hospital with your Fiancée and I thought I would come to see if we could talk." Andrea said.

"Talk." Daryl said, confused as hell as to why a social worker would have any business at all with him.

"Do you want to talk in private? This is a sensitive matter." She told him.

"You got something to say, you can say it to both of us. I ain't got not secrets from her." Daryl said adamantly.

"Fine then. Mr. Dixon it would seem that your brother Merle fathered a child before his passing." Andrea said bluntly.

"What? He didn't ever tell me about no kid. You must be wrong." Daryl said emphatically.

"Are you familiar with an April Langley?" Andrea asked.

"Yeah, what about her? She didn't have any kids." Daryl told her.

"It seems she was pregnant at the time of her incarceration and she is positive that the father of her unborn child is your brother Merle. Since she is in prison for at least fifteen years and she has no living family, the option is available for the father's family to adopt the child, and if that isn't an option the baby will be put up for a state adoption." Andrea told Daryl.

He was silent, trying to process the information that the headstrong social worker had just delivered him. He looked to Davia, and she had the same look that Daryl had, dumbfounded.

"Let me get this straight, April's knocked up and says Merle is the daddy? How the hell could you prove that with Merle being dead? It's not like you have a DNA source or anything…"

"Actually we do Daryl, you're his brother and would possess a similar DNA strand that could provide the information for the paternal bloodline. Because Ms. Langley doesn't have any options, we would do a pre-natal DNA test and prove paternity before the child is born. That way you could be sure if you choose to take on the responsibility as the parent or guardian of the child."

"How long does it take to get the results?" Daryl asked.

"About a week. We could do the test first thing Friday and then you would know by the end of next week. It would give you time to process what I have told you and to weigh out your options. If you decide to adopt the child then we would start on the background check, personal interviews, and home inspection now so that everything can be lined up by the time the child is born." Andrea informed him.

"Where do I gotta go on Friday to take this test?" Daryl asked.

"Outpatient services here, I will arrange all of the tests and paperwork." She told him.

"I reckon I will see you Friday morning." Daryl said, hardly believing how this day was turning out.

**Looks like Merle left us a present...Thoughts? Also next chapter Michonne enters the story...**

**I can't wait for Feb, but I know it's gonna be a heart breaker. Loading up on tissues now.**

**Please help me out and give me a review on this chapter...your input and thoughts help out immensely.**

**Have a beautiful day!**

**Hugs-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	19. Chapter 19

**WARNING-SEXUAL ABUSE MENTIONED IN THIS CHAPTER**

"A baby…how Did Merle manage that one?" Davia asked, not really thinking about what she had just said.

"I think we both know the answer to that one." Daryl replied letting out a breath. Fucking Merle, even in death he was leaving behind a mess for Daryl to clean up.

"What are you…what are 'we' going to do Daryl? Are we ready to be parents?" Davia asked.

"Maybe we should just let the state handle it." Daryl said.

"Is that what you really want Daryl? If this were Merle's child, he would be part of your flesh and blood too. Don't get me wrong, I will support you in what ever you want to do, but I know what it's like to be raised by the State of Georgia, and it wasn't a happy experience." She said.

"You're right Davia, but I have no idea how to raise a kid. It scares the fuck out of me." He admitted to her.

"That's why we would do it together Daryl. It would scare me too, but it's not the child's fault. Look we've got a week to think about it and decide. Maybe you should talk to your father about it." Davia suggested.

Daryl let out a laugh "He's half the reason I ain't sure I want to do it. What if I turned out to be like he was? Yeah, he's fine now, but that darkness flows through my veins too. Don't forget he was stable at the beginning of his relationship with my mother, but he slipped…and you've seen the results on my back of what happened. What if I hurt the kid?" Daryl asked her, fear evident in his voice.

"You are not your father Daryl…your nothing like him and you know it. He even says you took after your mother." Davia told him, trying to reason with him. To be honest, the whole idea of raising a child scared her too, but she knew that together they could do it.

"If we did go through with it, what would we do? Would this be my child or would this be my niece or nephew? I don't know what the protocol is with all of this…" Daryl said seriously.

"You would raise them as your own, you can explain things to them later when they are older. Just because you are not the biological parent doesn't mean you aren't the child's 'Father' Daryl. We could convert one of the rooms into a nursery and with my work schedule we could manage not needing daycare. I will take on extra engagements until the baby arrives and we can bank that money. We can purchase a less expensive second vehicle with a little more mileage and save the extra cash. Once you finish up at the police academy and get your increase in pay then I can cut back my hours and focus on being a mother to the child." Davia told him.

Daryl sat without saying anything for a moment. "I reckon it could work, but I have to ask you, is this something you are willing to do? Our lives will be different starting the second the baby is born."

"I know Daryl. But this is most likely Merle's child, and that means they are your family. I know we can do this. Ideally we would get married and bring children into the marriage further down the road, but sometimes things don't work out the way you want them too. I know we can do this, and I know it's the right thing to do. You would be full of regret if this was Merle's child and you knew that someone else was raising the baby, and you know it." Davia told him.

"Why do you have to be so perfect Davia?" Daryl said as he gave her an actual smile.

"Daryl, you know I am far from perfect. The only thing I'm doing is thinking through a solution through this predicament." She asked.

"So speaking of marriage, when do you want to do it? I don't want one of those fancy long engagements…" He said.

"How about the Saturday before Christmas? We can do something simple…like an evening candlelight service. We can decorate the church with poinsettias and greenery. It won't cost much money…I would want Beth to be my maid of honor, and maybe have Hershel walk me down the aisle since he has always been like a father to me." She told him.

"Sounds perfect. I guess that means I gotta pick a best man…I was thinking about Rick? He seems to have faith in me for some reason, and I appreciate that." Daryl admitted to her.

"Daryl I think that is a good idea. So we will tell everyone tomorrow?" She asked.

"Yeah, I reckon we can tell them about the baby too…maybe someone will offer some suggestions. I trust these people and would like to hear what they have to say." Daryl admitted. It was a strange feeling having the luxury of trusting someone, but so far none of them had let him down. He even now counted his father as someone he trusted, even though it was still guarded.

…

"_So you have gone and done it have ya baby brother?"_

"_Merle? Get out of my head you dumbass. I'm stuck here cleaning up your fucking mess." Daryl told his brother._

"_I ain't done shit. You're the one playing house now aren't ya? Getting Married? You know that stuff doesn't work for our family. I mean, Davia's a nice girl, and I was wrong about what I said about her, but you playing the role of doting husband just don't make the grade." Merle taunted._

"_Why are you here? You're dead. And it seems you left a little something behind." Daryl told his brother._

"_The baby…yeah, that. She told me she was on the pill but I should have known a damn heroin addict couldn't be trusted to take the things like she was supposed to. So are you gonna take care of little Merle/Merlina?" Merle asked._

"_Yeah, it ain't fair to let the baby go anywhere else. Maybe we can give it a better life than we had. Is it really yours?" Daryl asked his brother._

"Yep…Once you have been with Merle Dixon, no other man will do. April said she loved me, but who wouldn't love old Merle."

"_Daddy's back, and he's changed a lot."_

"_Ha, I'll say. He's married to a…"_

"_Very nice lady Merle. Don't say it Merle. Jacqui is a good for him, and I like her a lot. He's changed so much…he's what I always wanted him to be back then."_

"_Never would have thought it. He loves ya Daryl and he regrets everything he did. You gotta trust him now. I'm looking out for ya and if I thought he wasn't on the up and up I would let ya know. Even though I am not thrilled with his 'choice' of a wife I know he ain't a bad man now."_

"_You know I'm gonna be a cop don't ya?" Daryl asked his brother._

"_That is completely laughable, but I ain't surprised. Hate to say it, but you'd be good at it. All those years running with me probably will give you an insight others ain't privy too. Too bad you didn't make this decision years ago, you might have been able to get me out of some trouble." Merle laughed._

"_Yeah, like I would give you special treatment. You were one of the worst ones out there you stupid son-of-a-bitch." Daryl said to his older brother._

"_Fuck you Daryl. I wasn't that bad…well until the end. And what happened in the end…I'm truly sorry for. I never wanted to hurt ya Daryl. I loved ya best and I was scared…but if you tell anyone I was scared I will haunt you until the day you die." Merle said._

"_Won't nothing to be scared of…I needed my space from ya, but I wouldn't have ever completely abandoned ya. You needed to be in lock up before ya escaped. You were a danger to yourself…all I wanted was the Merle that took care of me when I was twenty…I was so proud of ya then, but you changed and fell apart…what ya became was a joke. Maybe if you had done like Daddy and sobered up none of this shit would have happened and I wouldn't be talking to a damn ghost." Daryl told him honestly._

_Merle looked angry but shook his head in agreement. "Reckon you're right. I can't argue that point. Look this is getting too intense for me and I gotta let ya go. Take care of my kid for me and I might pop in occasionally to check in on ya."_

…

The next morning Daryl helped Davia get dressed and they filled out all of her discharge papers. It pained Daryl to see the bruises covering her body, but he was thankful that her injuries weren't worse. He loved her so much that when she hurt he hurt as well.

Davia seemed chattier than usual and insisted she would be with Daryl tomorrow helping to get everything moved into the house once it passed inspection. The inspector had agreed to meet Daryl at the house at eight in the morning and the furniture was due to arrive at ten. Will and Jacqui had agreed to go to clean up the apartment and they would be accompanied by Beth who would help pack up Daryl and Davia's items while they waited for their delivery. Daryl was overwhelmed by the act's of kindness every one was showing and that was when he brought up how he wanted to offer thanks to them all.

"I know we had talked about a BBQ…and I know it's short notice, but why don't we have a housewarming/engagement party the week before we get married. I can get it catered and then you wouldn't have to do that much work." Daryl told her.

"You know what Daryl, that's a good idea. But you won't dare have it catered. I can still cook and would actually look forward to doing it. We can cater the wedding, but at least let me cook for the party. We can totally decorate the house for Christmas, and even go out and cut down a giant Christmas tree to go by the fireplace." She said.

"You'd really wanna do that? I ain't never really had a Christmas but it sounds OK." Daryl said.

"It's better than OK Daryl. This is really the first Christmas I've actually felt like celebrating. Usually I was alone or miserable because I was with a foster family that didn't give a damn. It would be so much fun." She told him.

"Baby, if it makes you happy it will make me happy. So let's do it." He told her. The smile that crossed her battered face let him know he had made the right decision.

…

When they arrived at Hershel's house there was a fancy BMW parked out front and Daryl assumed it belonged to Jacqui's daughter Michonne. He was nervous to meet his stepsister, but knowing how special Jacqui was he assumed Michonne would be the same.

Daryl parked his truck and ran to the passenger side to help Davia and then led her up the front steps at Hershel's house. They entered into the living room and the house was abuzz with activity. The smell of the turkey baking in the oven wafted throughout the house and it caused Daryl's stomach to grumble as he realized he hadn't eaten yet this morning.

"Oh…so glad y'all are here." Jacqui said as she quickly ran to embrace both of them.

"Davia come sit down sweetie and take a load off. Today is your day to just enjoy and let everyone do for you." Jacqui told her sweetly leading her to the love seat in the living room. Maggie and Beth were in the kitchen cooking and Daryl could hear the clinking of the pots and pans and the laughter being shared between the two sisters. Considering they just lost their mom and brother so recently Daryl was thrilled to hear true joy coming from the kitchen.

Daryl had never experienced a traditional family style Thanksgiving. It saddened him that for thirty-five years of his life he never once knew the type of happiness that was normal with this time of year. That being said, he considered himself very blessed that he now had the chance to share in joy of what the holiday was all about. The family, love, and happiness everyone else shared was finally his to savor as well now.

Hershel entered the room with a stunningly beautiful woman in tow that Daryl knew had to be Michonne. He saw some of Jacqui's features such as her perfectly ebony skin and well defined bone structure, but she didn't quite possess the softness that Jacqui possessed. When she saw Daryl she kindly left Hershel's embrace and walked over to Daryl.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Daryl." She said extending her hand to her stepbrother.

"Michonne I presume." Daryl replied.

"The one and only. And this must be Davia over here sitting down." Michonne said as she went over to give the girl a gentle hug.

"Hi Michonne. Your mama and stepfather have spoken so highly of you. It's nice to finally meet the legend." Davia said smiling.

"Legend…huh. Not quite, but thanks for the compliment. It's good to get together with family. Will's been nothing but loving and supportive to me since he came into my life twenty plus years ago. He has a lot of regrets about his past, but he is so proud of you Daryl." Michonne said flashing a million dollar smile that could make a heart stop.

"Thanks for saying that…I guess you could say our relationship is a work in progress. Baby steps…right?" Daryl said relaying to Michonne his apprehension to completely trust Will. Michonne understood, having gone through something very similar with her biological father as well.

"We'll talk later Daryl…I'm going to check on Maggie and Beth and see if they need my help. Would either of you like a glass of wine?" Michonne offered.

"I would." Davia said and Daryl nodded in agreement. At this point he would take anything to calm his nerves.

…

Everyone was beginning to gather around the table when Beth noticed it first.

"Davia…what is this on your finger?" She shouted as she took her friends left hand into hers and pulled it up closely to her face so she could examine the new piece of sparkling hardware.

Daryl couldn't fight the smile on his face as he cleared his throat "Davia and I are getting married. Not real sure why she agreed to do it, but I ain't complaining."

Congratulations poured out from everyone and Will Dixon couldn't control his emotions as tears began to stream down his cheek. Any bit of happiness Daryl was able to muster in his life was like a gift to Will. He had taken so much from his son that he wanted nothing more to pay him back with joy ten times over.

Daryl then spoke again "We got something else we wanna share with you…and Dad, this effects you too. Apparently the gal Merle was seeing prior to his passing is pregnant and she believes Merle is the daddy. I go Friday to do a DNA test to confirm paternity. If the baby is Merle's I have the option to adopt the child. Davia and I haven't decided for sure yet, but I think we are leaning that way." Daryl told them.

Will spoke through tears "A baby…Merle's son or daughter? Do you know what a blessing that would be? Even though he is gone he would leave behind a legacy."

Davia then spoke "Well we aren't sure, and the results won't be in for a week or so, but it's a good possibility."

Hershel then stood up "Davia…I have seen you grow up over the years, and I know you had a tough road and not the nicest of Foster families. I used to pray for the day that you would turn eighteen and get out of the Greenley's house. You used to come over here and take piano lessons from my wife Annette and I loved to hear you sing. I think Bethy did too because when you would leave, she would sing for hours. Both of you girls have been blessed with musical talent, and we have been blessed to get to share in that talent. Now, through the miracle of God you have been brought back into our lives and I am so proud of the woman you have grown into. Despite the odds being against you, you have finally found happiness and I too share in your Joy. I would like to take this time to toast you and Daryl's eternal joy and happiness and want you to know we consider you family."

Everyone toasted Daryl and Davia and tears were now pouring from Davia's eyes. No one had ever said anything so kind to her and she had always felt like she was worthless, yet Hershel had just confirmed that he thought she wasn't. It was a simple gesture that meant the world to her.

"Hershel I am so touched by your kind words. Daryl and I discussed this earlier, but I would like to ask you to give me away. I would be honored if you would consider it." She said through her tears.

"Davia honey, I am so touched by you even considering me for that task. I will gladly walk you down the aisle as you take this joyous step in your life." He said through his tears as well. To be honest, tears were everywhere around the table, even from Michonne who just met everyone.

…

After dinner Daryl slipped outside to grab a smoke. Everyone else had began to gather around the TV to watch football and Beth and Maggie had already began talking wedding plans with Davia. He decided he would then take that time to call Rick and check in with him. He picked up his cell and dialed Rick's number.

Rick answered "Rick Grimes."

"Rick its Daryl. Just thought I would check in with you to see if you have heard anything."

"Not yet Daryl. We've got Tennessee and North Carolina State police involved but so far nothing has turned up. Carol is beside herself and I've been doing everything I can to try to calm her down. This is a fucking mess." Rick admitted.

"Why don't you two come over here to the Greene farm and spend the rest of the day with us. It might help get her mind off of things." Daryl said.

"I'll try to see if I can talk her into it. How's Davia?" Rick inquired.

"Sore, but she seems OK. She hasn't really talked about what happened and the Doc warned she could have a breakdown at any moment, but so far so good. I asked her to marry me last night, and she accepted." Daryl told Rick.

"Congratulations Daryl. You have really had some big events happen this week." Rick Mused.

"Yeah, which brings me to my next question. You have really stuck your neck out there for me and shown faith in me when no one else has, and for that I am deeply thankful. I was wondering if you would consider standing up with me and being my best man." Daryl said quickly.

Silence and then Rick spoke with a small lump in his throat. "Daryl I would be honored to stand up for you."

"Good deal. It's planned for the Saturday before Christmas and it will be something simple…I think. Right now the Greene girls are in full force planning with Davia and that could probably be dangerous."

Rick chuckled "Yeah, you might have bitten off more than you can chew with Hershel's daughters."

"So I might see ya later?" Daryl asked.

"If I can get Carol to go along we will be over there. Carl is with Lori for a few days and we haven't exactly had a very good Thanksgiving. I will give you a call if we decide not to come." Rick told him.

Daryl hung up the phone and fired up a second cigarette, taking the time to reflect on what Rick had said. In the period of time of one week he had almost lost his love to a violent crime, taken the life of another human being, changed his career, got engaged, and now was looking at the prospect of becoming a parent to his deceased brother's child. One could easily become overwhelmed by all the changes, but to Daryl he looked at it as a challenge…one he would relish in. Maybe he could finally respect his self.

Daryl was interrupted from his thoughts when Michonne came out on the porch to join him.

"Daryl…everything OK?" She asked.

"Just fine, sneaking a cigarette." He replied.

"I know you were supposed to come down to Atlanta Monday, but with everything you have been dealing with I think I can get what I need from you while I am here. You have had a hell of a week haven't you?" She said, flashing him an amazing smile.

"You could say that. So can I ask you a question?" Daryl asked Michonne.

"Of course you can." Michonne responded.

"What do you think the chances are that we will find her?"

"I am almost certain we will. But you need to be prepared just in case she either doesn't want to see you, or she could even possibly be deceased. We just don't know. Are you able to handle that?" Michonne asked Daryl.

Daryl took a deep breath and answered "I've thought about both scenarios and if she has died, I can accept it. However, if she is alive, I think she would be willing to meet with me. The only thing about all of this that bothers me is she said she was gonna come back to Blue Ridge right after she got married…and she never did. Something changed her mind and that is what concerns me the most." Daryl admitted to Michonne.

Michonne reached out and placed a gentle hand on Daryl's upper arm. "We will find out one way or another."

"That's all I ask." Daryl told her.

…

Daryl was stubbing out his cigarette when Rick and Carol pulled up in Rick's patrol car.

"Glad y'all came" Daryl said noticing how sullen Carol looked. He didn't blame her. She was most likely terrified that her daughter had been now missing for a few days and her violent son of a bitch ex husband was on the run as well.

"Thanks for having us Daryl." Carol replied, fighting back tears.

"Why don't y'all come inside and fix yourself a plate. There is plenty of food. One thing for sure, Jacqui and the Greene girls know how to cook." Daryl said, trying to lighten the mood just a bit.

As they entered into the house, Rick pulled Daryl back for a second "Daryl, I am truly touched that you asked me to be your best man. I couldn't think of a better man to stand up for."

"Well I'm glad you accepted. I might need you from time to time to remind me that I'm more than just a piece of white trash. You realize you're gonna have to deal with hearing that from other's around here. The Dixon name ain't exactly associated with the right side of the law." Daryl told him.

"Don't matter…I know what type of man you are. Now let's get inside and join everyone."

When they got inside the house Carol and Rick were ushered into the main living room where everyone was watching a Dallas Cowboys/Atlanta Falcon's football game. Maggie, Davia, and Beth were huddled together no doubt discussing wedding plans while everyone else was intent on the game. When Davia saw Carol she motioned for her to join them. Maybe the discussion of the upcoming nuptials would help take Carol's mind off of her missing daughter, even for just a moment.

Jacqui came into the room with heaping plates for both Rick and Carol and reminded everyone else that desert was ready for everyone else when the mood struck. Daryl took in the scene of the room around him and it seemed surreal. This was something out of a Norman Rockwell painting; not a place Daryl Dixon normally found himself. But here he was, with his father to boot and he wanted to soak in every moment of this family event.

During the third quarter of the football game Rick's phone rang and he got up to take the call in the kitchen where there was less commotion. Glenn, Zach, and Daryl were engaged in a conversation about what was the better classic car a Mustang or a Camaro and Will stated he thought the obvious answer was a Stingray Corvette. Hershel then chimed in that he wouldn't trade anything for his 1967 Chevy Pick-up that he still used around the farm to this day.

Rick entered into the room "They have found Sophia safe in Murphy, North Carolina" Everyone began to offer up 'Thanks' to the Good Lord above and Carol almost collapsed in a heap from the sense of relief she felt.

"Where is she?" Daryl asked.

"She was dropped off at a convenient store by Ed. Carol and I need to leave to go pick her up…Daryl do you want to go along? We will probably be back around eight or nine tonight?"

Daryl didn't even get a chance to respond before Davia spoke, knowing he would be torn as to whether or not to leave her "He would be glad to go with you Rick. Just bring back that little girl to us. I need a flower girl for my wedding."

Daryl felt relieved that Davia seemed to encourage him to start with his new responsibilities as a law enforcement officer. He knew there would be a lot of interruptions like this in the future, as it was part of the job. He also knew that there was also a high divorce rate as well. A lot of women weren't happy to share their men with the job, but Davia seemed to understand.

Daryl went over to Davia and squatted down in front of her so that he was eye level with her as she sat on the couch. "I promise I'll be back as soon as I can. Don't over do it and if you need anything you let my dad or Jacqui know. Call me if you need me." He told her. He reached in and gave her a chaste kiss on the mouth, careful of her still healing injuries on her face. Then he whispered into her ear "I love you baby."

…

The normally thirty minute drive to Murphy took Rick less than twenty minutes to make. Daryl couldn't deny that it felt a little exhilarating to be flying down the road at break neck speeds with blue lights flashing, and it was completely legal.

Carol hadn't asked any questions and sat quietly in the back of the car for the entire trip to Murphy. Daryl was having a hard time reading her emotions. He knew Carol had to be overjoyed that her daughter had been found safely, but there seemed to be something else bothering her. Rick could sense it too, but neither man pushed the issue.

When they pulled up at the Murphy Police Department they found a terrified Sophia sitting at one of the female officer's desk. She was crying and not offering much information to the officers whom had brought her in. In fact the only information she had given was her mom's name, her address, and phone number. Her normally bright freckled face looked pale and haggard. Daryl could see something was off from the first moment he spotted the young girl but physically she looked unharmed. A sudden dark thought raced through Daryl's mind as he remembered that Sophia had been alone with Ed.

"Rick, they need to get Sophia to the hospital and have her checked out." Daryl said quickly.

"She seems OK Daryl." Rick replied.

"Rick, she was _ALONE_ with Ed. He may have…done things to her." Daryl said, inwardly pleading Rick understood what he was saying.

Rick understood exactly what Daryl was saying. He then insisted that Sophia needed to be taken to the hospital to be checked over and Carol's face fell. She knew what they were looking for, and she had a feeling deep in her gut that her worse nightmares regarding what Ed would do to Sophia may have come true. Based on how terrified Sophia was and how scared she was of the men in the police station, and her complete lack of conversation, that meant that Ed had probably done horrific things to her daughter. What ever happened though, Carol was determined to get her daughter through this ordeal.

One of the female officers at the Murphy Police Department took Carol and Sophia to the hospital while Daryl and Rick headed out to the convenient store where Sophia was picked up. Daryl let Rick take point as he asked the cashier that found Sophia questions.

"Is this the man that brought the girl in?" Rick asked as he showed a picture of Ed to the cashier. She was a tough older lady with a raspy voice that reminded Daryl of someone who smoked a few packs of cigarettes a day.

"Yeah, that's the drunk bastard. He came in here fussing about beer being too expensive. I told him I don't make the prices and he told me to fuck off. I noticed the little girl with him and recognized her from TV. I asked him who he was and he panicked and left in a black pick up truck with Tennessee plates." The woman, named Estelle told him.

"Is there any surveillance video?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, I can pull it for ya. I don't think I got your names." She said.

"I'm Sheriff Rick Grimes and this is Deputy Daryl Dixon from Fannin County Georgia." Rick replied.

"Hmmm…nice looking law enforcement down there in Georgia. Anyhow, something was off with that little girl. She looked like she was hurting, but there wasn't anything physical that I saw. That man had the look of the devil in him." She added.

"How long ago was he here and what direction did he head when he left?" Rick asked.

"He was here about two hours ago. Scared the hell out of a young couple in the back when he pushed the guy out of the way to make it to the beer cooler. The girl from the couple called him an asshole and he raised up to strike her real good, but the guy intervened and shoved him down into the display back there. Made an awful mess for me to clean up. The whole time the little girl didn't move or say nothing." Estelle mentioned.

Daryl then repeated Rick's question to the older woman, who seemed to be getting off track "What direction did he head?"

"West out highway 64…towards Franklin. You know if he gets up in them mountains and hits Route 19 good luck on finding him. There are a lot of folks out that way that don't take to kindly to law enforcement…keep in mind Eric Rudolph hid out in those hills for seven years before being caught here in Murphy. He was clean shaven and in new clothes when they found him…not exactly what you would expect from someone living off the land alone for seven years." Estelle added.

Daryl knew all too well how clannish these people in this part of the mountains were. Estelle had a good point, which made finding Ed sooner than later much more of a priority. Rick then replied "Thank you ma'am…now if we can get that video we will be on our way. Can we contact you again if we have any further questions?"

"Sure, and be sure to bring your cute deputy with ya. We don't see a lot of men that look like y'all in these parts." She said smiling at Daryl.

Daryl turned about three shades of red at the woman's obvious flirtations "We'll be in touch." Was all he managed to reply.

…

After leaving the store they headed back to the hospital to check on Sophia. When they arrived Carol was sitting alone outside the exam room with fear evident on her face.

"I knew he would do it. I protected her from him as best I could, but I knew he had unnatural feelings towards her. I don't need them to come out and tell me the results of the exam…I feel it deep in my gut. Call it a mother's intuition, but that bastard hurt my little girl and it's something she isn't going to be able to get over." Carol confessed.

Daryl was silent, a wave of nausea rolling through his stomach as he thought about that poor child being subjected to Ed's sick sexual addictions. Though Daryl had been through a lot of horrific physical abuse as a child, he had never been sexually abused and the thought of sweet little Sophia having to endure that type of treatment sickened him. One way or another, Daryl would find Ed and make him pay, as painfully as possible for what he had done to the people he cared about.

When the Doctor came out after examining Sophia, he didn't need to say a word, his grim expression told them everything they needed to know. Carol broke down sobbing and Rick tried his hardest to console her. Daryl asked the doctor what they could do for treatment and the doctor informed them that they had administered her a morning after pill and that Carol would need to follow up with a OB-GYN to make sure that the child hadn't picked up any STD's. He also told her to get Sophia to a good psychiatrist because the mental scars would be much more difficult to handle than the physical damage. Everything was cold and clinical, but this was a little girl who just endured a nightmare and it broke Daryl's heart.

"Thank you." Rick said as he shook the doctor's hand and led Carol into the examining room to retrieve her daughter.

When they emerged Sophia was dressed but still not speaking. She clung closely to her mother and would not look at Daryl or Rick. Daryl waited with the two women while Rick went to retrieve the car. Daryl went out on a limb and dropped down to Sophia's level and quietly spoke to her. "Sophia, you don't need to be scared of me or Rick, we want to protect you and keep you safe. What happened to you ain't your fault and I'm gonna make sure your Dad won't ever hurt you or anyone else ever again. Do you understand?"

Sophia nodded and without warning she wrapped herself around Daryl's neck "Thank you Mr. Dixon. Please protect my mama too. We need you and Mr. Rick to keep us safe."

"We will honey, I promise." And Daryl meant every word of it.

…

It was closer to ten before they returned to Blue Ridge. When Rick dropped him off at the Greene farm Daryl was exhausted. Even though this had been the best Thanksgiving he had ever spent, it was also one of the most heartbreaking considering what had happened to Sophia. At least the girl was still alive and back with her family.

Daryl made his way into the house where everyone was still up, stuffed full of leftovers and watching the news. Daryl was slightly concerned that Davia was still up waiting on him, because he knew full well that she needed to be resting. Tomorrow was going to be yet another full day as they would (hopefully) be moving into their house. Everyone had volunteered to meet at the house in the morning to help them get everything unpacked. That was when Daryl remembered Davia's surprise. That wasn't supposed to arrive until ten and he didn't want her to be there when it came.

Pulling his father to the side, he explained about what he was doing for her and Will assured him that they would bring Davia over at noon. Daryl made an excuse and told them all that the inspection had been pushed back a few hours and that the inspector wasn't a fan of crowds, so everyone agreed to wait until noon as well, giving him plenty of time to get things ready for Davia.

Finally around eleven Daryl and Davia made it down the hall to the guestroom that they were staying in. Daryl helped Davia change into her nightshirt and shorts and he simply pulled off all of his clothes except his boxers and slipped into the big feather bed, gently pulling Davia up against him. He had missed holding her in his arms like this, and she had missed feeling his strong arms wrapped around her body. Daryl made her feel safe and content, and Davia made him feel like the man he always dreamed of being. A year ago he never would of thought this life was possible, but now he was living the dream.

**Well, I definitely wanted to get this up sooner than I did. I'm blaming it on Christmas craziness and my husband getting the flu on top of recovering from his hand injury. A woman's work is never done.**

**I apologize for this going in a dark direction with Sophia, but the abuse was hinted too in the show and I wanted to bring it into the story. Merle will continue to "visit" Daryl from time to time. Sort of like he did in Chupacabra. **

**I truly hope I can get some reviews this chapter...I haven't received that many and I'm not sure if people (other than the one evil guest reviewer) are liking or disliking this story. I would love suggestions on where you would like to see this story go. I have a lot of things in mind. My New Year's resolution is to write more and try to speed up the chapters. It is ridiculous that it is taking me so long for updates, and I apologize.**

**I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and I hope to get a chapter out by New Years...even if it is a shorter one. **

**Take Care- Y'all mean the world to me.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	20. Chapter 20

Daryl woke up early, probably close to five in the morning. All night long he had dreams about trying to find Ed. Each second that Ed was on the loose was a second to long. Daryl wanted to go out immediately and focus on apprehending the degenerate, but he had other pressing matters to handle today. He needed to be at the hospital at six-thirty to have his DNA test done so they could test April's fetus for paternity, and then he needed to be at the house at eight to meet the home inspector. After the inspection the furniture was supposed to arrive at ten and the guy Daryl had contacted about Davia's surprise was supposed to show up at ten as well. Then everyone else was supposed to show up at noon to help with getting everything moved in. It was going to be an extremely hectic day that involved dealing with a lot of people, which wasn't always Daryl's favorite thing to do.

Gently Daryl shook Davia and woke her up. "I gotta go babe. Promise me you will take it easy today and that you won't do anything more strenuous than just pointing."

"Mmmm…I promise. I slept so good last night with you wrapped around me. Are you sure I can't talk you into staying a little longer?" She whispered.

"Davia, you ain't healed up enough for that…plus If we get started I ain't gonna want to do anything else but ravage you all day long, and we got plenty to do. Keep in mind we will be in OUR house tonight as long as we pass the inspection. I am gonna be there with the inspector the whole time, so if he finds something I will get it fixed before he leaves."

"By 'alone' do you mean what I think you mean?" Davia said, almost begging for intimacy.

"Baby not until you are better. The doc said you need to wait a few days. I promise I will make it worth your while girl...this is killing me as much as it is you. I would love nothing more than to spend a couple days in bed and have my way with you, but it's gonna have to wait. Now give me a kiss and stop tempting me." Daryl said as she did as he asked. Daryl brushed her hair out of her face and took a mental snapshot of Davia lying in bed. Even with the now fading bruises he still couldn't get enough of her sweet face.

In less than a month Davia would be his wife. She was willing to take on the Dixon name and he couldn't be happier. Daryl wanted nothing more than for the two of them to just live a normal happy life. Yeah, maybe his new career choice was not exactly normal, but he was proud that Rick had chosen him to become a law enforcement officer. Decisions still had to be made about what to do if April's child was Merle's, but he was pretty certain of what the results would be. And he was now convinced that he would step up and raise his brother's child as his own. With any luck he and Davia would add to the family a few years down the road and he let himself imagine the idea of over priced vacations to Disney World and chaotic Christmases at the house. Slumber parties, fighting siblings, PTA meetings, and the whole lot. Basically everything Daryl and Davia didn't get to experience as children. They both would be determined to give their children everything they didn't have…primarily love.

Daryl met Andrea at the hospital at six-thirty and had his DNA test performed. Andrea assured him she would let him know the results as soon as they were returned. He then rode over to the house and gave everything a final check before the inspector arrived. He had a few moments to enjoy the tranquility of his new home before the chaos of the day would begin and everyone would converge upon him. He sat down on the back patio and took in the view of the lake at the bottom of the hill. The old floating dock needed some repairs, but it was still useable. There was just enough sandy shoreline to provide a nice private beach for them in the summer time and he wanted to build a gazebo down by the water. If the child did turn out to be Merle's then he would most likely also build a gated fence as well to prevent the child from being able to wander down to the lakeshore and possibly drowning. This would be his life going forward if he chose to raise the baby, and Daryl was OK with that.

Daryl lit up a cigarette and took in the sight of the mist rising from the lake, the sounds of the Canadian Geese flying overhead, and the scent of wood smoke wafting across the water from a distant house on the other side of the lake. The woods surrounding the land and the lake were teaming with wild life and Daryl couldn't wait to finally get enough time to go hunting. It had been months since he had been able to get a chance to get out into the woods. Now he had Zach, who loved to hunt as well, to accompany him on his trips. It would be a pleasant change from hunting with Merle, whom would always try to tell him what he was doing wrong, or be so drunk or hung over he could barely walk straight. Yes, he had something to look forward too. Of course, right now his primary focus was the house, wedding, GED, and law enforcement school. But after that, he would definitely get himself back out into the woods, and hopefully he would have a chance before the baby came.

…

The home passed inspection without any issues and then Davia's surprise showed up in the form a guy named Brad, exactly at ten in the morning. Brad was in the band that Dale hired regularly to back up Davia when she sang and Dale had told Daryl that Brad had more knowledge about acoustics and musical instruments than anyone he had ever met. Daryl had spoken with the guy and had to admit he liked him quite a bit. The guy had a soft-spoken Mississippi accent and had grown up singing in band after band following his dream of being a musician. He had done session work in Nashville and had even played with Bob Seger at one point during his career. Daryl figured the guy was in his mid to late thirties and knew that he was divorced. Apparently his wife had a thing for drummers and kicked Brad to the curb while he was out on tour. Seemed like a shame because the guy was as good as gold.

Daryl had purchased a used but top notch baby grand piano for Davia and he had Brad come over to set up the library in the house so that it could be a music room for Davia. They installed a sound system, set up all of Davia's music collection, and even hooked up some recording equipment that Davia possessed but she had never used before. They then installed her stereo and ran speakers throughout the house so they could listen to music in whatever room they were in, each room having it's own individual volume control. It cost Daryl a pretty penny to get everything set up, but he didn't spend as much money as he had expected in restoring the house and Davia had saved him a ton of money on getting the house furnished. Plus, he would be getting a decent raise with his new job as well. Daryl rarely ever spent money, and if this gave Davia any sense of joy, he would gladly do it ten times over.

When they were done Daryl paid Brad, who was reluctant to accept the money, but Daryl insisted. "Hey I also wanted to thank you for all you do to support Davia when she performs. She's really gonna need you and your band over the next few weeks while her fingers heal up. It's gonna be hard for her to play…And if I know my girl she is not going to do what the doc told her and she will try to play this piano. I feel bad because it's like giving a kid a present at Christmas and telling them they can't play with it."

"Yeah, that sounds like our Davia. She will make do I'm sure. I wouldn't be surprised if she is tinkling away on the piano tonight." Brad told Daryl.

"I got a question for ya Brad? Davia and I are getting married the Saturday before Christmas, would you and your band be willing to play for us? I'll pay you whatever you ask." Daryl asked.

"Daryl we would be honored to play for you and Davia, but it ain't no charge. It would be our gift to you. Of all the gigs we play, backing Davia is by far the most enjoyable. You got yourself a fine woman there Daryl. I don't think she realizes how amazing she is. I know she struggles with how she looks, but to the guys and me she looks just beautiful. And her voice, it's by far one of the best voices I have ever heard and we have tried to get her to do a demo tape, but she refuses. She says she ain't good enough, but you have heard her sing, you know she is and we do too. Maybe you can convince her to give it a try." Brad told Daryl.

He appreciated how much Brad seemed to care for Davia and her well being, and he assured Brad that once things settled down he would try to talk her into making a demo tape. He didn't go into the details about them possibly being parents sooner rather than later, because right now that issue was still up in the air.

"After what happened with Davia is she still gonna be able to perform next Thursday? I'm willing to jack around with our schedule so we can play for her for the next few months. It will actually be good to stay in one place for a while. Blue Ridge is home, but we travel so much between here, Nashville, and Atlanta it's hard to remember that."

"Well y'all are welcome over here anytime you want. I really appreciate all you have done for me today and all you do to support Davia. She's gonna need all the support she can get right now, especially after what happened." Daryl told him.

"We heard about it, but I didn't want to bring it up. How is she doing with all of it?" Brad asked Daryl.

"She seems to be doing fine right now. She's focused on the wedding and a few other things. I know she wants to get back to performing as soon as possible. It's always been the one constant in her life." Daryl told him.

"Well you tell her that I want to sing another duet with her. She's my favorite singing partner. She got any single friends? I like her little friend Beth, but she is a bit young and also taken." Brad joked.

"Not that I know of, but you are a good guy, I'm sure you won't have any issues finding someone." Daryl assured the man.

…

The furniture arrived and the delivery guys pretty much just dropped it off in the main room of the house. That meant that Daryl, and the others were going to have to move everything in. The bed was arriving a little later and Daryl was excited to see what Davia had ended up selecting. She had originally asked him for his input, but he trusted her instincts and told her to surprise him.

At noon everyone showed up and Beth had picked up lunch for everyone. Before anyone had a chance to enter the house Daryl told them he had a surprise for Davia. He asked her to close her eyes as he brought her into the house and into the Library, which was now a fully functional music room.

When Davia opened her eyes her mouth fell open when she saw what Daryl had done for her. The first thing she noticed was the exquisite baby grand piano that sat front and center into the room. Then she noticed all of the speakers and equipment were set up perfectly.

"How did you do this Daryl? And the Piano…it's…it's…" She couldn't finish her sentence before she rushed over to Daryl and thrust herself into his arms.

"Do you like it?" He asked

"Daryl it's perfect…no one has ever done anything like this for me." She said in disbelief.

"Now I know you can't play for a bit, but I at least wanted it to be here for ya when we moved in." He told her. By now everyone had gathered in the room and was admiring what Daryl had done for Davia.

"Son this is an incredible gesture. You have outdone yourself." Will said smiling brightly at his son's display of love for his woman.

"How did you know how to do all of this?" Davia said barely able to speak.

"Brad came by and we got it all set up. The guy is a musical genius, and genuinely a nice guy. He was more than willing to help out when I mentioned it was for you Davia." Daryl told her.

"I still can't believe you did this for me." She said. Then she quickly went over to the piano and sat down on the bench. Taking her uninjured left hand she began to play some chords and then very carefully played a simple melody with her right hand. Beth came over and sat down beside her and began to fill in the melody. Davia began to sing and Beth joined in with her:

_**What would you think if I sang out of tune**_

_**Would you stand up and walk out on me?**_

Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song

_**And I'll try not to sing out of key**_

_**Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends**_

_**Mmm, I get high with a little help from my friends**_

_**Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my friends**_

_**What do I do when my love is away**_

_**Does it worry you to be alone?**_

_**How do I feel by the end of the day**_

_**Are you sad because you're on your own?**_

_**No, I get by with a little help from my friends**_

_**Mmm, get high with a little help from my friends**_

_**Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my friends**_

_**Do you need anybody?**_

_**I need somebody to love**_

_**Could it be anybody?**_

_**I want somebody to love**_

_**Would you believe in a love at first sight?**_

_**Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time**_

_**What do you see when you turn out the light?**_

_**I can't tell you but I know it's mine**_

_**Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends**_

_**Mmm, I get high with a little help from my friends**_

_**Oh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends**_

_**Do you need anybody?**_

_**I just need someone to love**_

_**Could it be anybody?**_

_**I want somebody to love**_

_**Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends**_

_**Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my friends**_

_**Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends**_

_**Yes, I get high with a little help from my friends**_

_**With a little help from my friends**_

The piano sounded so crisp and clean and Daryl was proud of himself for giving something to Davia that she both loved, appreciated, and could use. All he wanted to do was keep his girl happy for the rest of their lives together. She didn't have to give him anything in return, except the smile on her face and the love that she showed him. He knew that asking Davia to marry him was the smartest thing he had ever done in his life and he had a joy that he had never known before.

…

Everyone was working diligently to get everything in the house and unpacked. Daryl kept checking to make sure that Davia wasn't doing anything more than pointing or directing where things went. He could tell she was wearing out quickly as her body was still recovering from the beating she had taken a few days earlier. Zach was trying harder than he should have been to help moving the heavier items and Daryl had to keep reminding him that his shoulder wouldn't heal properly if he kept ignoring what the doctor had told him about taking it easy.

When the final delivery of the bed arrived at two Davia insisted that Daryl couldn't see it until it was all set up in the bedroom, so he busied himself in the kitchen with Beth. The two of them were unpacking all of the dishes and utensils while Hershel, Will, and Jacqui were walking the property. Zach was upstairs with Davia making sure that the bed was being set up properly.

Daryl and Beth continued unpacking all of the kitchen items when they heard Davia yell down to them "OK Daryl, it's ready."

Beth and Daryl headed upstairs to check out what Davia had picked out for them to share together. When he entered the room he was blown away by the bed she had chosen for them to sleep in. It was a king size four poster bed made from hand carved rustic wood. The carvings were various scenes from the forest such as deer, small game, and various trees. The bed had been set up on the wall opposite the fireplace in the bedroom and Zach and Davia had then made up the bed with crisp white Egyptian cotton sheets and a sage green down comforter. Across the foot of the bed she had picked out an embroidered quilt that depicted a picture of a cabin set in a pine forest. And the finishing touch was above the bed they had hung a painting that Davia had ordered of a beautiful view of the mountains. It reminded Daryl of a similar view that Daryl had first shown Davia when they had gone hiking up in the Ocoee River region back when they had first starting dating. It couldn't have been more perfect if she had set the bed up at the spot in the woods.

"Davia I don't know what to say. I ain't never slept in anything so grand. Are you OK with this? I know your taste is a little more modern than mine." Daryl told her.

"Daryl, this house is older and has character and I thought the rustic bedroom set would be perfect. I can't wait to sleep here with you, in front of the fire tonight, and every other night from here on out. " She told him.

"Um guys, do we need to leave you two alone?" Zach said, reminding them that Beth and Zach were there with them in there little stolen moment.

Daryl laughed "I think we can control ourselves for now. Just can't believe Davia did this for me."

Beth then spoke "Well you deserve it Daryl. This is a beautiful home and I'm happy for you and Davia. Maybe one day Zach will get enough courage to finally ask me to marry him and we can set up a house across the lake…hint hint." She said teasing Zach whom was now turning red in the face. Daryl wondered why Zach had yet to propose to Beth and wondered if the younger man had become a bit complacent in his relationship with Beth. They had been together for several years now and marriage should have been where they were headed. Daryl thought he might need to have a talk with Zach and help the boy get his head on straight.

Davia then spoke "The only thing we are missing is a deer above the fireplace in here. I reckon that means you need to get out and hunt so you can find a big old buck to sit on the wall above the mantle."

"Afraid that's gonna have to wait Davia…too many things going on, but I promise I'll get one to put up there eventually." Daryl told her. How did he get so lucky to find a woman that actually wanted him to go out and hunt? All the years hanging out with Merle and his buddies he heard stories from the other guys bitching about their women not letting them go out hunting. Daryl couldn't help but smile at how understanding and selfless Davia was towards him.

…

Davia and Beth rode into town to pick up dinner for everyone and they all crowded around the new Dining room table to enjoy Italian food. Will and Hershel had informed Daryl and Davia that they had found an overgrown apple orchard on the lower property and Davia imagined herself baking just like a good old country wife. To be honest, she loved the idea of country living, and sharing her life with Daryl was a dream come true. How did she luck out to find such a good and caring man? However it happened, she wasn't going to question it.

Everyone left around seven that night and Davia and Daryl finally found themselves alone in their new home. Jacqui and Will had left to return to Chattanooga and Daryl and Davia agreed to come visit them the next weekend since Jacqui said she had some antiques packed up in the attic that she thought the younger couple could use in the house. Unpacked boxes littered the house and Davia had an almost uncontrollable urge to have them all unpacked and put up before they headed to bed, but she was exhausted and her ribs were hurting.

"Come here." Daryl said as he led Davia out to the back patio and sat down on a wicker couch that he had found in the old shed on the property. He pulled Davia to him and then wrapped them both in a blanket he had brought with him.

"It's so quiet and peaceful out here." Davia told him.

"Yeah, figured you could use a breather. I think you might have over done it today. You're moving slower than you were this morning." Daryl said as he peppered a few kisses on her neck.

"Daryl, I want you to make love to me. It's been too long." Davia said.

"No baby. Doc said you needed to take it easy for a week or so. I would feel like shit if I hurt you. We've got the rest of our lives together. Just relax and enjoy the peace and quiet and let me hold you for a bit." He told her.

"Damnit Daryl. I want to be close to you. I understand but I don't like it. By the way have you talked to Tyreese yet?" Davia asked.

"I'm gonna talk to him on Monday. It's gonna be a bit sad to leave him…he's done alright by me for the past eighteen years, but I think he will understand." Daryl told her.

"I'm so proud of you Daryl. You are such a good man, and I don't think you even realize it. I can't believe you are mine." She told him.

"Baby girl, the feeling is mutual. I ain't never loved anyone like I love you. Hell, I don't know that I ever just plain loved anyone. I was so scared after what happened with Ed. All I could think about was losing you, and to be honest, I don't know how I could have made it another day if I did." He admitted to her.

"Daryl…you would have to go on. I would want you to. You are too young and too giving to let yourself pull away from everyone. I wish you could see that about yourself." She said to him.

"Just like you are so beautiful on the inside and out and you don't see that either. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you darling. If I could, I would reach out and grab one of them stars up in the sky and give it to you. Anything you want I will provide the best way I can. Hell, if you just want to stay at home and let me take care of you I'm fine with that." Daryl told her.

"No Daryl. I love to sing…other than you it gives me great joy and happiness. I am supposed to go back performing on Thursday, and I have every intention of doing that. Brad and his band will back me until I am able to play again and I can't wait to get up and sing in front of an audience again. In fact I was gonna ask you if we could just go and watch Brad and his band perform tomorrow night at Dale's. It would be a good distraction and we could just relax." She said.

"Of course we can Davia. I wasn't saying I didn't want you to sing, I just wanted to be sure it was something you wanted to do. I don't ever want you to do something you don't want to ever again." He told her.

"I appreciate that Daryl. Right now I just want to heal up, make love to you, and get back to being normal…Oh yeah, and we do have a wedding in a few weeks. And just so you know, I've reeled in Maggie and Beth so that it is a simple affair, nothing too fancy. I want something that suits both of us. I would love to ask Sophia to be in the wedding, she's a little old to be a flower girl, but she could be a Junior Bridesmaid." Davia told him.

"I don't know Davia. I can't give you any details but Sophia has been through quite a bit. Maybe you should talk to Carol and see what she says. Ed Peletier is a monster and I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure he gets justice for what he did to you, Carol, Sophia, and the others. In fact I was gonna give Rick a call in a little while to see if there is anything we can do. You know Davia, we still haven't talked about what he did to you." Daryl replied.

"I'm fine…nothing to discuss Daryl. Wrong place at the wrong time. I was an idiot for even opening the door."

"But you know what Davia, you fought back and I'm proud of you for that. That being said, you are gonna take the first self-defense class I can find for you…and I'm gonna teach you how to use a gun. Now that we are living out here in the middle of nowhere you have to learn to defend yourself…just in case." Daryl warned her.

"OK, I can do that." She said as she leaned back into his arms and closed her eyes, enjoying the quiet and relishing in the feel of Daryl's arms wrapped around her.

…

Daryl had fell asleep in their new bed with Davia wrapped in his arms, her head on his chest. The sound of her breathing and the feel of her body up against his were better than any drug he could imagine. It was soothing and reassuring to have her with him. In less than a month she would be Mrs. Daryl Dixon…his forever.

…

The sound of her head being pounded against the wall filled the room. She screamed as Ed continued to beat her senseless. "You ain't nothing but a two bit whore like all the other women I've ever known" He continued to scream.

"_Why are you doing this to me again?" she asked him._

"_Because I came to finish the job…Dixon's gonna pay." This time as she reached out for the kitchen knife he grabbed it from her. She fought to get away from him, but he was too strong for her. She opened her mouth to scream…maybe someone would hear her? "DARYL…."She shouted it as loudly as she could. Unfortunately it was the last thing that left her mouth as Ed took the knife and sliced into her throat silencing her beautiful voice forever. All that came out of her mouth now were the gurgles of her choking on her own blood…._

The blood-curdling scream of Daryl's name startled him from his slumber. He awoke to see Davia choking, her own hands wrapped around her neck.

"DAVIA…wake up baby!" He said forcefully as he tried to get her to let go of her throat before she hurt herself.

Tears streaming from her eyes she opened them in sheer panic. Her nightmare was so realistic she thought for a moment she had died. She looked up into Daryl's worried eyes as she took in her surroundings. "Oh God Daryl…it was so real. Ed said he came back to finish the job…"she continued whimpering "he slit my throat with the kitchen knife and I couldn't get anyone's attention…" She cried.

"Shhh baby, I'm here for you and I ain't gonna let nothing happen to you." He said, his voice raspy from being woken so abruptly from his sleep.

Davia was shaking and Daryl held to her tightly. "Baby you need to get some sleep…I'm gonna hold on to ya all night long if you need me too." He told her.

Davia looked up at him with her tear filled eyes and nodded. "Can we put on some music? Something soft…It always calmed me before…" She said in an almost child like voice.

Daryl leaned over and turned on the radio. Sam Cooke was playing softly and Daryl then gathered Davia back into his arms. She gripped onto Daryl's hips as her head rested against his beating heart. It was raining outside and you could hear the rain hitting the window and the wind blowing softly. Daryl felt Davia's body finally relax and her grip onto his hip lightened as she slipped into a peaceful sleep.

Daryl now had a dilemma. It was obvious to him that Davia was nowhere near as "fine" as she had said earlier. This nightmare was just the tip of the iceberg of what was mostly likely going to happen when Davia faced what had happened to her head on. Daryl wanted to be sure that he was with her as much as he could be so she wouldn't be alone when the reality of the violence hit her. That being said he had told Rick that he would go with him back to Murphy, North Carolina again tomorrow to follow up a lead that they had received from none other than Estelle. How could he leave Davia?

Eventually Daryl fell asleep holding tight to Davia, but he felt like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He only slept for a couple of hours and when he woke he was relieved to see Davia was still sleeping soundly. Gently he extracted himself from her and made his way to the shower. The hot water pouring over his body gave him a little burst of energy he knew he was going to need today and it helped relieve the sore muscles from all the heavy lifting that he did the prior day. After throwing on jeans and an official navy blue "Fannin County Sheriff's Department" T-shirt that Rick had issued him Daryl made his way to the kitchen and made a very strong cup of coffee. It was still early…only Six in the morning, but Daryl took a chance and sent Beth a text stating "Call me when you get this I need a huge favor".

Almost immediately his phone rang "Hello gal…what are you doing up so early?"

"I spent the night at Zach's apartment and he is snoring so loud he could wake the dead. I decided to get up and try to clean up this dump. I swear he is the worse house keeper ever." She told him. Luckily she never was around Merle…he was the true definition of a slob.

"Do you have plans today?" Daryl asked.

"No, Why? Do you need me for something?" Beth asked.

"Look, I know I have asked plenty from you and I don't deserve any more favors, but Davia had a bad nightmare last night, and I think she could have a break down at any minute. The Doc said he didn't know when it would happen, but I don't want her to be alone when the realization of what happened with Ed comes crashing down on her. I've got to head out of town for most of the day with Rick and I would feel better if someone is here with her. Do you think you could fit her into your schedule?" Daryl asked hesitantly.

"Daryl Dixon why did you even hesitate to ask? Of course I can spend the day with her. Zach needs to study for his finals and I'm finished with mine so it works out perfectly. I can stay with her until you get back." Beth said enthusiastically. This girl was an angel…once again Daryl needed to have a serious talk with Zach about scooping her up permanently.

"Thanks Beth. I've got to leave here in about an hour." He told her.

"Perfect. I'll make sure Zach is all set up and then swing by the café and pick up some breakfast for Davia. She probably doesn't feel like cooking." Beth mused. She was willing to do anything to help out Davia. Even though Beth had endured some trauma from being taken by Ed and Len, she wasn't alone when it happened and she hadn't been injured. Poor Davia had no idea whom Ed was at the time, and had been alone during the entire attack. She could understand why Daryl was concerned about her being alone so far away from everyone.

Daryl went upstairs to the master bedroom just in time to find Davia waking from her sleep. Her hair was a mess but she looked like she had slept pretty well after the nightmare.

"Good morning darling. I want ya to take it easy today. I'm gonna be up in Murphy for a while, but I promise to be back so we can go out to Dale's tonight to hear Brad and his band perform. I got Beth to come over and keep you company." Daryl told her.

"Daryl, you didn't tell Beth what happened last night did you." Davia asked, sounding a bit aggravated.

"I ain't gonna lie to ya, I did. Davia the doc said you could have a melt down at any given time and I don't want you to be alone when it happens. I'm just looking out for ya." He told her, pleading his case.

"Daryl, I'm fine. One stupid nightmare doesn't justify a breakdown. You can't keep a baby sitter with me all the time. I'm a big girl and I will get over it. Look at me this morning, I'm just fine." She said, frustration evident in her voice.

"Please Davia, just humor me and let Beth come visit with you today. Y'all can work on the house and make wedding plans." Daryl said.

"Daryl I don't need a damn play date. I will be fine, and in fact I was kind of looking forward to a bit of time to myself. Give me your phone so I can tell Beth not to come over." She demanded.

"Too late. She's on her way already and she is bringing you breakfast. Look Davia, don't be mad at me, I'm just looking out for ya." Daryl said tenderly while reaching out to brush some stray hairs off of Davia's face.

"I'm not a china doll and I'm not going to break. You said it yourself that I'm tough." Davia insisted.

"Yeah, but not tough enough. You almost died Davia and I know that bothers you. Just do this for me today. After that we'll discuss it and if you still feel you're OK then I won't push it anymore." Daryl reasoned.

Davia let out an obviously audible sigh "Fine…you win. But this is today only and only because Beth is on her way. Daryl I'm a grown woman and I hate to be babied like this." Davia said firmly.

"I'm sorry Davia. I didn't mean to upset ya but trust me I only had your best interest in mind." Daryl said solemnly.

"It's Ok Daryl. Now give me a kiss goodbye before you leave. And please be safe." Davia said trying to soften the conversation she just had with him.

Daryl gave her a long kiss goodbye and then helped her out of bed. She didn't need the help, but he wanted to do it just because he wanted her to know how much he cared. She kissed him one more time before she jumped into the shower and Daryl headed out to meet up with Rick.

…

When Daryl showed up at the station Rick met him at his truck and handed him a set of keys. There was a brand new four-wheel drive Tahoe with the county logo painted on it sitting in front of the station. Daryl looked at Rick "Did you get a new set of wheels?"

"No, but you did. Shane wanted it so bad he could taste it, but I told him it was yours." Rick told him.

"Really, this is mine. Are you sure? I don't want to purposely piss off Shane, but…" Daryl said giving Rick a rare smile. The two men got inside and Daryl started the vehicle and pulled out of the station headed towards Murphy. Rick continued to talk as they drove.

"Trust me Shane wouldn't appreciate it, he has no skills involving tracking or covering the rougher terrain of the county. That's gonna be your job, plus I hope to hook you up with a K9 as soon as we can." Rick told Daryl.

"A dog? Isn't there a lot of training that is involved for both parties?" Daryl inquired.

"Yep, so guess what you are gonna be focusing on once you get through the academy. Don't fret Daryl, you are the ideal candidate for it." Rick told him.

"Ain't had a dog since I was a kid. I reckon it will be the perfect partner for me…you know with all my excellent people skills." Daryl joked.

"Trust me, they will work on that at the academy as well. You are in for quite a crash course Daryl. You don't know how eager I am to get you up to speed. I want a partner that's gonna have my back, not fuck my wife behind my back." Rick said coldly.

"I'm sorry about that Rick. Maybe it's for the better." Daryl said trying to be supportive.

"Hey I wanted to ask you a question about your step-sister…is she married?"

"Why you interested?" Daryl replied.

"Maybe. There was something about her I found…compelling." Rick told him.

"I don't know a whole lot about Michonne but I like her. She seems like a straight shooter and if she's anything like her mama she's good people. Smart as a whip." Daryl told him.

"Maybe the next time she comes up we can go to dinner or something." Rick told him.

"What about you and Carol? I thought there might be a connection there." Daryl said.

"Friendship…at least on my part. She's helping me through a tough time right now, and I'm trying to do the same for her, but there is something with her that isn't quite right…almost like coldness. This latest episode with Sophia has sent Carol spiraling downward. She blames herself for what happened." Rick informed Daryl.

"It's easy to do…blaming yourself. I have to admit I blame myself a bit for what happened to Davia. She had a bad nightmare last night and I asked Beth to come stay with her today. Davia wasn't happy with me for that. Said she doesn't need a baby sitter. I agree she doesn't but I just don't want her to hurt one more minute than she already has. This love shit ain't easy." Daryl confessed.

"No it isn't Daryl. Davia will come around and you will learn what battles you can fight. Trust me, she will appreciate everything you've done for her in the end."

…

When they arrived at the convenient store where Estelle worked she lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw it was Rick and Daryl. "Well hello Officers…I'm glad that y'all decided to return." She joked.

"Heard you had some information for us." Rick said.

"Got a friend that works down in Andrews at a camping store. I was talking to her about what happened the other night and she said that yesterday a man that fit the asshole's description came in to pick up a bunch of supplies. Said he was driving a black truck with Georgia plates, just like the one I saw him in the other night. Said he was pretty drunk again. Apparently the fat son of a bitch has got his self a drinking problem." Estelle commented.

"Can you get me the name of your friend, and give me the name of the store she works at?" Rick asked.

"Yeah I can, but she won't talk to you. Remember they ain't too keen on the law out that way. Might go easier if I was to go along with you." Estelle said, smiling just a little too brightly.

Rick looked at Daryl, and Daryl just shrugged his shoulders "Couldn't hurt."

"My shift is over in thirty minutes. Gloria will be home today so we can ride over to her house. It's probably good timing because her no good husband is out hunting ginseng this weekend. He wouldn't take too kindly to having the law up on his property." Estelle warned.

Daryl had to give Ed credit, because he picked a good area to disappear. These people were bordered on lawlessness, and it seemed like they weren't going to get much cooperation from anyone to help them find Ed.

"Why are you helping us? Seems to me you are setting yourself up to be ostracized by your community." Daryl asked the lady.

"Because I know what it's like to be abused by your husband and I don't want him hurting anymore people." The woman said in earnest.

"Good reasoning." Daryl simply answered.

…

The trip to Andrews took only twenty minutes. The drive down the rudimentary dirt path to the dilapidated Cabin that Gloria occupied with her husband took another ten minutes, even with the four-wheel drive.

Gloria looked nervous when she answered the door and ushered Estelle and the two officers into her house quickly. Before Rick or Daryl could even begin to ask questions Gloria spoke quickly.

"My husband just called and he is on his way home…if he finds you here it isn't going to go well. I'm gonna tell you what I know and then you have to leave, quickly." Gloria told them, almost panicked.

"Calm down Gloria, old Tom-Tom ain't gonna do nothing. His damn bark is worse than his bite." Estelle told her.

"Estelle…drop it. Now the only reason I'm doing this at all is because I feel sorry for that little girl, but I don't give two shits about you two officers and whether or not you catch your man or not." Gloria said truthfully.

Rick then spoke "I appreciate your honesty ma'am. If you can tell me what you know we will get out of here directly."

"A man that looked like the man Estelle told me about came into the store and bought a bunch of hunting and camping stuff. Said he was going backpacking, but I knew he was planning on going into the woods for a little more than backpacking. When I asked him where he was going he just said Nantahala. He was drunk when he came in and about took out a parked car when he left. That's all I can tell ya." Gloria said.

Daryl then spoke "Here is my number, if you hear anything will you please give me a call. I know y'all ain't big on law enforcement in this area, and I get that. Trust me I've witnessed my fair share of the other side of the law. All we want is to catch this man for what he has done. He's hurt a lot of people and he is dangerous. Can you at least do that for me?"

The woman took Daryl's card reluctantly and then nodded her head. "I'll talk to you if I hear anything, but please don't mention my name to anyone. Tom-Tom won't be happy." She said nervously.

"Deal" Rick replied.

They left as quickly as they got there and brought Estelle back to her house. Daryl was surprised that she actually had a nice small house with a picket fence and a pristine yard. Not what he would have expected from the weathered woman.

Rick thanked the woman and told her to give them a call if she heard anymore. So far she had been their best lead and whatever her intentions were, she was willing to help. If it just so happened that she found Rick and Daryl attractive and that was her motivation it didn't matter…you took information anyway you could get it.

…

Rick and Daryl arrived back in Blue Ridge close to two in the afternoon. Rick had followed Daryl to his house so that Daryl could take possession of his new vehicle and then Daryl brought Rick back to the station. Rick had called the National Park Service and relayed the information they had gathered from Estelle and Gloria. The Nantahala was just over a half million acres that was made up of four parks and a treacherous Gorge. The only thing playing to their advantage was that it was almost December and the foliage was gone from the trees. It would make a daunting task of finding the needle in the haystack just a bit easier. The only thing was that no one knew where to start looking. Daryl just prayed that they could find a clue. His tracking skills wouldn't do anyone any good if they didn't know where to start.

When Daryl arrived home he found Beth and Davia hanging pictures in the main living area. The two girls had worked their asses off getting the boxes unpacked and getting the house in order. Daryl thanked Beth for 'visiting' for the day and she gave him the sweetest smile and a gentle hug. "You don't even have to ask Daryl. I'd do anything for you two."

When she got up to leave she told them she would see them that night at Dale's bar. "Look's like we are going to have an honest to God date night huh?" Daryl told Davia.

"Yes we are. My bruises seem to be fading pretty quickly and I'm actually looking forward to getting dressed up and going out just to enjoy some good music." She told him.

"You deserve it baby. You still upset with me?" Daryl asked shyly.

"No, I understand why you did what you did. You just have to realize I'm stronger than you think I am." She told him as she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest.

"I know you are baby girl. I reckon I was more scared than you were." He admitted to her.

"No… I was plenty scared, but we can't change what happened. The only thing we can do now is prevent it from happening again." She told him.

"Well I got good news, come see my new patrol vehicle." He told her, smiling proudly.

…

They met at Dale's Place at eight that night. Zach was the designated driver since he was still taking some pain medication and didn't want to risk mixing it with alcohol. Beth and Davia ordered a glass of wine and Daryl ordered a beer. Before the music started Brad made his way over to the Davia and Daryl.

"Well hello princess, glad to see you up and about. You scared the hell out of us." Brad told Davia as he gave her a hug.

"Can't wait to be back up on stage with you guys. I also wanted to thank you for helping Daryl with the music room. It's like a dream come true for me." She told him.

"Maybe one day you will finally make that demo tape we have been after you about. You got more talent than any female I've ever heard Davia. It would be a shame not to share it with everyone." Brad told her.

"Stop Brad, you're making me blush. Maybe one day…but I wouldn't hold my breath." She told him.

"Well it's about time for us to go on…you got any requests?" Brad asked her.

"Actually I do." She said and then she whispered her selection in his ear. He nodded and smiled as he headed towards the stage with his band.

Brad took the stage and started off the set with Davia's request. "Y'all we've got a treat tonight. Our own Davia Longstreet is back with us after a few harrowing few days. She asked us to sing this tune for her, and I think we all know who she was thinking about when she requested it." Everyone offered up a hearty applause as she was a favorite at Dale's and tonight would have normally been a night she would have been performing.

When they began to sing Davia took Daryl's hand and looked him directly in the eyes. "Listen to the words Daryl."

Daryl wrapped his arms around Davia and rested his chin on her shoulder as he listened to Brad perform the song she requested. As he heard the lyrics he had to fight to keep his emotions in check.

Your Arms feel like Home

_**I think i've walked too close to love**_

_**And now i'm falling in**_

_**Theres so many things this weary soul can't take **_

_**Maybe you just caught me by surprise**_

_**The first time that i looked into your eyes**_

_**There's a life inside of me**_

_**That i can feel again**_

_**It's the only thing that takes me **_

_**Where i've never been**_

_**I don't care if i lost everything that i have known**_

_**It don't matter where i lay my head tonight**_

_**Your arms feel like home**_

_**Feel like home**_

_**This life aint the fairy tale we both thought it would be**_

_**But i can see your smiling face as it's staring back at me**_

_**I know we both see these changes now**_

_**I know we both understand somehow**_

_**There's a life inside of me**_

_**That i can feel again**_

_**It's the only thing that takes me **_

_**Where i've never been**_

_**I don't care if i lost everything that i have known**_

_**It don't matter where i lay my head tonight**_

_**Your arms feel like home**_

_**They feel like home**_

_**(hold on, you're home to me)**_

_**There's a life inside of me**_

_**That i can feel again**_

_**It's the only thing that takes me **_

_**Where i've never been**_

_**I don't care if i lost everything that i have known**_

_**It don't matter where i lay my head tonight**_

_**Your arms feel like home**_

They feel like home

Davia and Daryl hadn't noticed that Daryl's ex Cheryl had shown up at the bar with her girlfriend Lindsey. The overwhelming smell of cheap perfume should have alerted them to the arrival of the two women, but everyone was having such a good time they didn't notice. What alerted them to the two women was the very loud and very intentional conversation coming from a couple of tables down.

"Can you believe Daryl is still fucking with her. I mean Jesus how could her fat ass keep a man like him happy?" Lindsey said.

"Well from the looks of her it would appear that Daryl is knocking her around." Cheryl replied. When Daryl heard his name he began to listen to the conversation between the two cheap whores.

"You know Daryl wasn't ever right in the head. She's got to be at least fifty pounds overweight and I swear she's gained at least another ten pounds since I last saw her." Cheryl said.

Daryl flew hot when he heard Cheryl's callous comments. Davia told him to calm down and just ignore them, but she had to admit the words hurt.

Lindsey then replied "Well I heard Daryl flipped out after Merle's death, apparently he has some sort of brain damage from the beating Merle gave him. My guess is she's gonna get knocked up and saddle him down. No one else in this town would touch a slob like her."

Beth was now getting angry just as Daryl was. "I'm sorry guys, I can't let them continue to say shit like that. It's cruel and unfair."

"Stop Beth. I don't need anyone fighting my battles for me…and that means all of you." Davia said before Zach could even begin to comment.

Very carefully Davia got up from the table and went over to Cheryl and Lindsey's table…pulling out a chair and sitting down beside the two women.

"I'd appreciate it if you would at least get your facts right if you are having a conversation about me." Davia said curtly.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Cheryl said playing dumb.

"Well when you talk loud enough for every damn person in this bar to hear then you can't play dumb. You and Daryl might have had a few hookups in the past, but I'm here to remind you that it was the past. There will NEVER be a you and him. It's Him and me…from here on out. I've got the ring to prove it." Davia said as she flashed her engagement ring in Cheryl's face.

"What did you do? Did you trap him…get him to take pity on you?" Cheryl challenged.

"No, I treated him like the man he is, and I gave him the best sex he's ever had in his life. There's only one name that comes off of his lips now and it's mine. So I am here to warn you…stop spreading lies about him beating me or me trapping him into marriage. If you had realized what a gift you had when you were with him you might not be here whoring yourself out to the rest of the town. Have a good night." Davia said sweetly as she got up and went back to the table.

When she sat down Zach, Beth, and Daryl were all sitting there with their mouth's open at the exchange that just took place. There was no more meek Davia Longstreet. Davia was now just a few weeks from being Davia Dixon and Dixon's were tough no-nonsense people. She had a lot to prove and she was done letting people run over her.

**Wow...this was a monster chapter...And I have soooo much more to go...Hope y'all don't mind a long story. Just to give credit where credit is due...the first song is "A little help from my friends"...I imagined the Joe Cocker version (RIP Joe Cocker...Loved your music) and the second song is a 3 doors down song...I thought the lyrics were VERY fitting.  
**

**So now Davia and Daryl are all moved in...Davia thinks she's fine...Daryl doesn't...we will see who is right. **

**PLease Please Please leave me a review...and if you haven't left me one before, I'd love to hear from you and what you think. What are your thoughts about Davia standing up for herself? Daryl's given her confidence and I wanted her to let Cheryl know she couldn't do what she did...Yeah, the words hurt, but Davia wasn't going to give Cheryl the satisfaction of knowing that. **

**Next Chapter is going to have some twists and turns, including Daryl getting himself into a bit of a mess. **

**Hope to hear from you on this chapter.**

**Hugs and Kisses-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	21. Chapter 21

That night on the way home Davia talked ninety to nothing. When they got home she was so keyed up that Daryl would have sworn she had drank at least five cups of coffee. It was an odd behavior for her, but he just assumed it was because she had finally stood up for herself. She at least seemed happy and that was all he could ask for.

A little while later he lit a fire in the fireplace in the bedroom and put on some soft music they could listen too while they slept. As usual he pulled Davia too him and wrapped his arms around her holding her tightly. Ever so slightly Davia pulled Daryl's hand to her mouth and began to pepper it lightly with kisses. Daryl moaned slightly, as Davia's feather soft kisses felt heavenly against his rough callused hands.

"Baby girl that feels good, but I need you to take it easy. It ain't gonna take much to get me all riled up and then I'm gonna end up with a serious case of blue balls." Daryl told her.

Davia then began to kiss Daryl's body a bit more aggressively. She moved her kisses from his hand up his arm and then to his neck. She could feel Daryl's body tighten beneath her lips and she continued to tempt him with her mouth. When she slid her lips down his neck and began to suckle on his nipple he took a deep breath then gently pressed his hand against her shoulder "Baby you've got to stop. You ain't in any condition to do this."

"I am Daryl. Please, I want you so bad…I want to feel you inside of me." She begged. Daryl was tempted, but he knew Davia was too injured to handle love making at this point. He also knew she wasn't quite acting like herself, and that concerned him.

"No Davia. You aren't all right. You think I didn't notice you wincing every time you turn sideways? We have the rest of our lives to be together like this. Just lay back and relax." He told her.

Davia then moved towards him again and began to kiss his lower torso, ignoring what Daryl had just told her. He didn't want to, but he firmly placed his hands back on her shoulders and prevented her from moving.

"Davia…I said 'No'." It came out a bit harsher than he wanted, but he needed to make a point. His heart broke when he saw tears begin to fall from Davia's sad eyes.

"Why don't you want me Daryl? Is it because of Cheryl? I bet that if she were here you wouldn't turn her down. I know I don't look like her, I'm a fat sow, but I love you and I want to prove it to you." She said, now sobbing uncontrollably.

"Davia, where is this coming from. I don't want Cheryl, I never did. She was just a means to an end. I admit we had sex, but it was a drunken romp in the back of my truck. You can't compare that to what I have with you. I love you and I don't want to physically hurt you. I'm concerned about you though. You don't have to prove a damn thing to me. I know you want to be with me and I'm OK waiting until you are healthy enough to make love proper. Please Davia…talk to me." He said trying to appease her fears.

"It's just that I'm afraid if I can't provide for your needs you are going to see how worthless I am and kick me the curb and I don't think I could handle that." She said still crying. Daryl realized how broken Davia was and it killed him.

"Honey I love you for you, not for sex. I fell in love with you the first moment I laid eyes on you and heard you sing. You poured out so much emotion when you sang that it touched me deep in my soul. I ain't never had anyone do that to me before and no one is ever going to do that to me again. You have my heart Davia, and if we could never make love again it wouldn't matter. I love you always and forever. Don't beat yourself up darling…you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and when you smile you melt my heart. You don't ever need to doubt that." He told her as he held her in his arms and ran his hands up and down her back trying to soothe her fears.

"So the sex isn't good?" Davia said, completely ignoring everything Daryl just told her.

"Davia did you listen to what I just said? The sex is incredible…the best I've ever had and its because I wanted it with you. What I said is that the sex is secondary to everything else I have with you. You have got to stop beating yourself up."

"I'm sorry Daryl. Girls like me don't end up with men like you and I am having a hard time accepting that you want to be with me for the rest of your life." She said, tears slipping again.

"Have I done anything to make you doubt me Davia? Look…after what happened I think that maybe we should take you to talk to someone. I don't think you are as 'fine' as you think you are. I've seen you spiraling downward the past couple of days and one minute you are up and happy and the next you are full of self-doubt and fear. The doc told me this could happen." Daryl told her.

"So now you think I'm crazy?" Davia said as she pulled herself from Daryl and got out of the bed angrily.

Daryl let out a deep sigh "That's not what I said Davia. You're coming to pieces and I don't think I can put them back together on my own. Baby please don't do this…just come back to bed and get some rest. Tomorrow will be better and you don't have to do anything you don't want too."

"I'm not spending another minute in here right now. I need to clear my head…maybe I will clear the crazy right out of it." She said sarcastically.

"Fine, do what you want." Daryl said frustrated as he let himself fall back into the pillows.

…

Daryl woke up around five in the morning with the bed still empty beside him. This shouldn't be happening. It was only their second night in the new house and both nights had been bad for Davia. He was worried about her and angry that he couldn't fix her emotional state.

He got out of bed clad only in his boxers and a T-shirt and made his way downstairs. Immediately he was overwhelmed by the strong smell of bleach. Taking a look around he noticed that everything was practically sparkling but he still hadn't seen Davia. He found her in the kitchen in a total mess. Her hands and knees were raw and bleeding and the splint on her two broken fingers had been displaced. She was soaking wet on her hands and knees scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush and her hair was matted to her forehead.

Daryl looked at her "Davia what have you done?"

"I wanted the house to be clean enough for you Daryl. I don't want to lose you and I thought you would be proud of me." She said in a voice that wasn't quite her normal vocal range.

"Baby get up." Daryl didn't ask, he commanded her.

"Are you mad at me?" She asked in almost a child like voice.

"No honey, but I'm worried about you. You're a mess." He told her. Daryl helped her up off the floor and sat her down on a chair he pulled out from the kitchen table. She had very little emotion showing on her face and Daryl was terrified. Davia had finally broke.

Not knowing really what to do he surmised she needed rest. He went to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of her pain medication that she hadn't been taking and gave her two of the pills while handing her a glass of water.

"Take these and don't argue." He told her. She did as she was told and he crouched down in front of her. The first thing he did was adjust the splint so that her fingers were braced properly and then he took a warm cloth and began to wash off the blood on Davia's knuckles and knees. He then ran upstairs quickly and retrieved some gauze and medical tape and wrapped up her hands properly. He opted to just clean her knees and apply some anti-biotic cream but decided not to bandage them since they would heal quicker if left undressed.

"Daryl, talk to me?" She begged.

"Davia I don't know what to say. You need to rest and I ain't gonna let you be alone. I'm taking you upstairs and you are gonna sleep and I ain't letting you out of the bed all day. Tomorrow we are going to make an appointment and you are gonna talk to someone. I'm sorry if it pisses you off, but I'm making the call." He didn't allow her to argue and gently guided her up to their room.

Daryl sat her on the edge of the bed and pulled off her soaking wet shorts and T-shirt and then found one of Davia's nightgowns and slipped it over her head. She sat there and didn't do anything to fight him. He knew she had to be exhausted and all the fight that she had in her earlier was gone. Daryl laid down beside her and then pulled her into his chest with no opposition from Davia. Within a few minutes the painkillers kicked in and Davia was fast asleep.

Once Daryl was positive Davia was settled he got up and fixed himself a strong pot of coffee. They still hadn't gone grocery shopping but there were enough items in the pantry that he made himself some toast and jam for breakfast. While sipping his coffee he logged onto Davia's laptop and began to search for mental health providers in the area. He found the name of one that specialized in physical abuse and jotted down her number. He would make the call in the morning and try to get Davia an appointment as soon as possible. After he cleaned up after himself in the kitchen he found the GED study guide he had purchased and made his way back up to the bedroom so he could keep an eye on Davia. The room was still sparsely furnished, but there was a Queen Anne Style chair and foot stool that sat opposite the bed beside the fireplace and he sat himself down there and began to study.

At lunchtime Davia still hadn't stirred so Daryl re-heated some of the leftovers from the other night and made a plate for both of them. He made his way back upstairs and gently shook Davia.

"Baby girl you need to eat something." He told her.

Davia stirred and moaned softly after being aroused from her sleep. She didn't say anything as she sat up when Daryl put the tray of food he had prepared down beside her.

"You need to eat something darling." He said to her softly.

"Thank you." She returned quietly.

"I've been studying while you slept and I think I'm in good shape for the exam on Friday. Was wondering if you felt up to taking a trip to the grocery store? We don't have a lot to eat in the house and I'm a little tired of all the take out food." He told her.

"That would be nice. Um Daryl…I'm really sorry for acting like a complete idiot." She confessed.

"Shhh…it's my fault. Doc said you would have a moment when everything hit ya. When you had the nightmare the other night I should have done more then. I'm making you an appointment tomorrow for you to go talk to someone…she specializes in abuse and violence. I will be there with you every step of the way."

"Great, you think I'm crazy." Davia said letting out a heavy breath.

"Not all sweetheart. I think that you have gone through something horrific that I can't fix to make you feel better. From what I've been reading about my police training I get to go through a psychological exam too, and I bet they are gonna have a fun time deciphering all the shit I went through with my dad. I wanna say I'm OK about it, but sometimes I just don't know." He admitted to her.

…

Davia and Daryl got showered and dressed and headed to the grocery store. Davia continued to be somewhat quiet as Daryl tried to engage her in conversation as they drove into town. Instead she pretty much just stared quietly out the window.

While they were at the grocery store they ran into none other than Shane and Lori while they shopped. It was an awkward but civil exchange between the two couples and Davia noticed that Lori's pregnancy was showing. Davia chuckled to herself about the fact that Lori didn't know who the baby's father was. She prayed it was Rick because he would see to it that the child was not raised around Shane.

When Davia and Daryl were far enough away Shane turned to Lori "I can't believe that Rick is not only bringing him onto the force, but he is treating him like the Golden Child. New Vehicle, better cases, pulling strings to get him on the fast track up the chain of command. I've worked with Rick for nearly twelve years and he still treats me like a minion. Even before what happened between you and me." Shane said angrily.

"Well if Daryl is not able to make it to the academy then how would he be eligible to remain on the force?" Lori said planting an idea in Shane's head.

"That is a very good point. But Dixon's tough…he's been through so much shit in his past that nothing ever phases him." Shane told Lori.

"But he has something new in his life that he is crazy about and that's the chubby chick Davia. If you want Daryl to fuck up then you go after Davia. I've got an idea but you have to be on board with me if it has any shot of working." Lori told him while she gave him a sadistic smile.

…

Davia seemed to have purchased half the grocery store. Granted they needed to build up their pantry and freezer but Daryl thought it was a bit excessive. He was used to getting a deer and some other wild game each year and that would hold him until the next year. If he was feeling adventuresome he would purchase a steak. The only other things he usually had in the house were a few frozen vegetables, a couple of can goods and salt and pepper. Davia purchased what Daryl guessed would be enough to stock a gourmet restaurant.

When they got home Daryl helped Davia put up all the groceries and Davia ushered him into the living room so she could cook dinner. He sat himself down on the couch and turned on the new TV that was above the fireplace and began to watch a Duck Dynasty marathon. It was mindless TV but he needed a distraction.

After about an hour Davia called Daryl to dinner. She had set the table in the formal dining room and had lit candles.

"I wanted to make up for my behavior last night so I thought I would make us a nice romantic dinner." She told him.

"You didn't have to do all of that Davia…you didn't do anything wrong. I will admit it smells fucking good." He told her.

She led him into the dining room and had prepared bacon wrapped scallops with asparagus in a hollandaise sauce. She had also prepared rice pilaf to go along with the meal. Daryl looked at Davia and then at the meal in front of him.

"Fanciest shit I've ever seen in my life. Ain't sure whether to sit down or bow in front of the table." Daryl joked.

"Just sit down and try it." She commanded him.

One bite and Daryl's mouth was melting. "I knew you could cook, but this shit is amazing." Daryl said to his fiancée.

"It would be nice if you wouldn't refer to it as 'shit' Daryl." She teased back.

"Sorry. This food is fucking good…is that better?" He asked.

"Much. I've also got dessert in the oven…it will be ready in about an hour. We can eat it in front of the TV if you want." She told him.

Daryl simply grunted as he shoved the food down his throat. He was going to have to go on a diet if she cooked like this all the time. He ended up having second helpings of everything.

As promised Davia brought Daryl dessert as they watched TV together. She had made a rum cake with a buttery pecan glaze and served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Daryl ate so much he had to unbutton his jeans. Davia's eyes popped open as he performed the action.

"Hmmm…" She said.

"Stop it Davia. We aren't going to go through tonight what we did last night. I just can't breathe because I ate so damn much. Merle would have married you in a second if you had cooked like that for him." Daryl mused.

"I'm sorry Daryl…You're right." She said looking a little disappointed.

Daryl pulled her to him and wrapped himself around her carefully. "Nothing to be sorry for, I just need to set boundaries." He told her.

"Daryl do I need to really go see the psychologist tomorrow?" She asked.

"Yeah babe you do. Are you scared?" He asked.

"I am. What if they say I'm crazy and want to put me away somewhere? It might affect us being able to adopt the baby." She said worriedly.

"They ain't putting you nowhere Davia, I won't let them. Doc said this was a normal reaction. Plus there ain't no reason for you to be scared because I'm gonna be there with ya." He assured her.

…

The next few days passed by relatively quickly. It was Thursday and Davia was getting ready for her performance that night. She was excited to get back on stage and Brad had come by and practiced with her two days prior. Daryl noticed that she seemed to be happier than she had been since the incident with Ed.

Davia's appointment went well on Monday and she would be attending therapy once a week for the foreseeable future. Her therapist was a woman named Karen and she actually turned out to be Tyreese's girlfriend. Daryl had talked to Tyreese earlier in the week and Tyreese completely understood why Daryl was resigning. He even took Daryl and the guys out to dinner that night as a farewell and a 'Thanks' for all of Daryl's hard work.

Daryl had done as he had promised and attended Davia's appointment with her and both were relieved to find that Davia's little meltdown was a normal reaction to what had happened to her. Davia described in detail what had happened for the first time and just by unburdening herself of the nightmare seemed to help immensely. She didn't have any more outbursts or nightmares after the appointment and Daryl took that as an excellent sign. Davia was tough and he was proud of her for facing her fear head on.

During the week Daryl had gone on regular patrol with Rick twice and Rick had spent time explaining various aspects of what types of cases were on the forefront in Blue Ridge. The biggest offenders were drug dealing (Daryl had a lot of insight into the subject since he ran around with Merle so much in his past), moonshining, and domestic abuse. They had answered three calls during the patrol, all of which included poorly made decisions as a result of alcohol. The most serious was a drunk driving accident that led to an innocent family being injured when an old man took one of Blue Ridge's famous curves a bit too wide. Other than those three calls not a lot had happened. That was until Thursday morning.

It started with a frantic call from Estelle. It just so happened it was Daryl who received the call:

"Dixon" he answered.

"Which one of them Georgia boys are you? The one with the wavy dark hair you want to run your fingers through or the one with the chiseled features and eyes that set your loins on fire?" The woman's voice on the other side of the phone asked.

"Um…I don't have wavy hair" Was all Daryl could manage to get out when he realized it was Estelle.

"Daryl then…right." She said.

"Yes ma'am…is this Estelle? I've got Rick here with me and I'm gonna put you on speaker." Daryl said as he pushed the button on his phone allowing Rick to hear the call as well.

"My friend Gloria…she got beat awful bad by her asshole husband Tom-Tom. He found out y'all paid her a visit." Estelle started.

Rick then replied "I'm sorry to hear that Estelle…did she report it?"

"Hell no she didn't but that isn't why I'm calling. Tom-Tom might know something about this Ed guy. He mentioned something to Gloria about 'protecting one of the true son's of the south' and she ain't never heard him talk like that. My guess is if you follow Tom-Tom you might find the bastard." Estelle told them.

"Estelle this is Rick please don't say anything to anyone. Can you see if you can find out where Tom-Tom likes to hang out away from the house, but don't put yourself in danger doing it. If you find out anything tell Daryl or me only."

"I can do that. I know Tom-Tom is out of town for a few days and I can talk to Gloria so she don't know what I'm doing. I'll call ya tomorrow or Saturday…will that work?" She asked.

"Sounds good. Thanks for everything Estelle." Rick said as Daryl hung up the phone.

"Well?" Daryl asked.

"Let's get back to the station and then I want you to comb the data bases for everything you can find on this Tom-Tom guy. He may be the lead we are looking for to find Ed. I'm gonna have a very detailed conversation with Carol about all of Ed's comings and goings to see if I can find out if he has any link to the Andrew's area." Rick told Daryl. Daryl agreed that was the best place to start and they headed back to the station.

Daryl had been assigned a new laptop computer and Rick showed Daryl how to access the databases that contained information that they could use to research persons of interest. Daryl never had that much experience with computers but knew he needed to learn, so instead of letting it intimidate him he took it on as a challenge.

Within an hour Daryl had found out quite a bit about Tom-Tom.

Birth name: Thomas Albee Lund

_Born: 6/7/1967 Cherokee County, North Carolina-Home Birth_

_Profession: Construction-Sheet Rock Hanger_

_Spouse: Gloria Marie Carrol Lund_

_Born: 5/13/1973_

_Children: Son-Thomas Albee Lund Jr._

_Born: 1/5/1993- Deceased-Car accident 2/8/2000_

_Arrest Record-_

_1982-Petty Larceny/Shoplifting-Sentence-Community Service_

_1983- Breaking and Entering-Sentence-Probation_

_1987- Grand Larceny and theft of Motor Vehicle-Sentence-County Jail-90 days_

_1990- communicating Threats-Suspended Sentence_

_1992-Domestic Violence against Spouse- Charges Dropped_

_1996- Public Drunkenness-Fine 200.00_

_2000- Vehicular Manslaughter-Drunk Driving Violation-Death of son- Probation 18 months_

_2004-Suspicion for Insighting a riot-Charges Dropped_

_2005- Illegal weapons charge-fine 250.00 suspended sentence_

_Individual is known to have affiliation with illegal moonshining and numerous hate groups such as the KKK and a smaller Neo-Nazi group. Violent behavior has been linked to this individual on many occasions but no charges have been filed. _

"Rick I got quite a bit on this Tom-Tom guy. He's a real piece of work but hasn't really done any time. He's got a record a mile long but other than ninety days he served for car theft there ain't much time served. Looks like he lost his son in a Drunk driving accident, and he was the driver but all he got was probation." Daryl told the other officer.

"Hmmm…Reckon you probably know there is a 'good old boy' network out this way. Judges, cops, criminals…. Most of them grew up together and know each other's families. Unless the Feds get involved not much sticks. I had an interesting conversation with Carol while you were doing your research." Rick informed Daryl.

"What did ya find out?"

"I guess I didn't realize Ed had a legitimate job as an insurance salesman. He traveled a lot out of town, particularly towards Murphy and Andrews. Carol suspected he had a mistress up that way because he stayed overnight quite a bit, and with it only being a thirty minute drive it never made much sense to her. Whatever he was doing up there he kept it quiet from Carol. She helped him with the books sometimes and there were payments that came into his account from a Cherokee County bank, but she said she was always suspicious about the amounts because they were much higher than you would expect for an insurance policy." Rick said.

"So we know he has contacts up that way, and he was up to something that could be less than legal. Moonshining? He strikes me as the type that could be involved with illegal liquor and the type that could be involved with the likes of the Klan. What do you know about the Klan up that way?" Daryl asked.

"Just about everyone is affiliated with some type of hate group. They don't like outsiders, they don't trust law enforcement or government, and the area is basically one big militia. Most people are heavily armed and they are very secretive in their actions. They protect their own and the likelihood of someone helping us out voluntarily is somewhere between slim and none. Gloria just gave us some basic information and look what her husband did to her. I have to admit I'm a bit worried about Estelle. Obviously people trust her, but if she gets found out it could go badly for her." Rick stated.

"You've met her Rick, she ain't gonna accept any protection from us. Let's wait and see what she comes up with and if she is in danger then we'll talk her into getting out of town for a while." Daryl said.

"It's about all we can do. Keep your calendar open Daryl, we might be making a trip up there sooner than later." Rick warned.

"Will do…just keep in mind I take the GED tomorrow and I promised Davia I would be with her tonight when she performs, but if I gotta change that I can. The Greene's are all gonna be there as well. You ought to consider coming too." Daryl informed Rick.

"I'd love too, but Carol and I are taking the kids to the movies. Sophia needs to be exposed to anything normal in her life she can get these days. She's been having horrible nightmares and Carl is asking a lot of questions. I have no idea at all what to tell him." Rick confessed.

"The shit Ed did to that little girl pisses me off badly. We got to get him Rick. Between him killing Annette and Shawn Greene, beating Davia, kidnapping the kids, Carol, and Beth…and what he did to Sophia…I want to bring him down myself." Daryl admitted.

"Can't let it get personal Daryl, but I know it is. We'll get him and when we do he will know it was us." Rick said letting Daryl know everything might not be totally above board when they apprehend the bastard.

…

Daryl arrived at the house and found Davia asleep on the couch. She must have been exhausted after spending the day shopping with Beth. Davia wanted to buy a new outfit to wear for her show that night and it was the first time he had let her out of his sight long enough for her to get out of the house. Her bruises were just about gone and unnoticeable when she wore makeup. Other than Daryl and Karen, Beth was the only other one Davia had confided in about what had happened with Ed. Daryl thought it was good that she had one true friend and confidant that she could share her feelings with.

Daryl sat down on the couch and pulled Davia's feet up into his lap and began to rub them as he flipped on the TV so he could watch the news. He was startled when his cell phone rang and he recognized the number as Andrea's. His stomach dropped a little at the realization of what this call most likely was about and the sound of the phone roused Davia from her sleep.

"Hello this is Daryl." He answered, not really knowing why he said his name…it was his personal cell and of course it would be him answering it.

"Hi Daryl it's Andrea. We have the results of the DNA test. Are you ready to hear them?" She asked.

"Yeah, let me put you on speaker so Davia can hear as well." He said as the groggy Davia sat up and then moved so she could press herself against Daryl. She took his hand for support.

"Well the results state that the baby is definitely Merle's and we also know the sex of the baby if you are interested." Andrea told them.

Daryl looked at Davia and she nodded enthusiastically. "That would be nice." Daryl said. He was a nervous wreck now that he knew that this baby was definitely a Dixon.

"April is eighteen weeks along and she is carrying a girl. She has agreed to give up all custody and rights to the child if you agree to adopt the girl." Andrea said.

Davia nodded emphatically and Daryl managed to squeak out the answer "We have decided that we will take her and raise her as our own. Look Andrea I'm pretty bad at math can you tell me when the due date is." Daryl asked her.

Andrea laughed "Yes Daryl, she is due around May Eleventh."

Davia then spoke "What do we need to do next?"

"I understand that you too are getting married in a couple of weeks. I can start the paperwork for the petition for adoption, but it will be much easier if you are a married couple. There will be a mandatory background check on both of you and a home inspection, but I don't foresee anything being a problem. The fact that Daryl is now a law officer will help out greatly, but they are going to want one parent with the child for at least one year…that means that one of you will need to take time off from work during that time." Andrea informed them.

"Andrea I normally work three nights a week for just a few hours at a time can I continue to do that?" Davia asked.

"That might work because that means that Daryl would be able to be with the child during that time. It also means that you wouldn't need to put your daughter in daycare." She replied.

Daughter. Their Daughter…

Daryl had a lump in his throat "Just get the paperwork started and we will do whatever we gotta to take care of the baby." He told her.

"I've got a picture of the ultra-sound I can email to you. Let me get your email address and I will send it right over to you both." Andrea said happily.

Davia gave her the email address and the phone call ended. Both Daryl and Davia looked at each other in shock. "We are gonna be parents Daryl. Are you ready for this?"

"No, but it don't matter, is any parent ever ready the first go round?" He mused. Davia gave him a huge smile and nodded in affirmation.

"I gotta call Beth." Davia said as she headed upstairs to get ready for her show that night. Daryl noticed she had a little extra bounce in her step. Maybe Merle's little slip up was the greatest gift he could have given to Davia.

…

Davia emerged from the room dressed to the nines. She was clad in black jeans with a black corset that Beth helped her pick out. The "girls" were front and center and she had a red leather cropped jacket across her shoulders. Beth had helped her find a pair of black suede stiletto boots that finished off the outfit. Davia's hair was worn down long in waves and she had on a silver cuff bracelet, silver chandelier earrings and a black choker with a silver cross. Her eyes were made up coal black and she had her lashes thick and full. The finishing touch was ruby red lipstick that provided a sensual pout. Daryl felt his loins twitch when he got a glimpse of his woman.

"Jeez woman, you look good enough to eat." He told her.

"Keep that in mind. Doc said I am ready to go as long as we aren't too rough." She told him giving him a wink.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me that earlier?" He said as he pulled her too him. She smelled like heaven. "What do you have on underneath all of this?" He growled.

"You will find out later Mr. Dixon. The way I see it we have five and a half months to enjoy ourselves freely before our little bundle of joy arrives and I am going to take full advantage." She told him.

"Let's check your email before we leave." He told her. Sure enough Andrea had sent them a picture of the ultra sound of the baby…their baby.

"You should call your dad and let him know." She reminded him.

"Tomorrow. Let's enjoy this tonight. The baby looks kind of like a little frog doesn't it? Is it normal for the head to be that big?" He asked innocently.

"Yes Daryl, that's normal. Look you can see the little fingers and toes," She said pointing them out on the sonogram.

"We really are doing this aren't we?" Daryl asked.

"We really are Daryl. Next year at Christmas there will be an official Dixon family." She told him, letting the reality hit him.

…

When they arrived at Dale's bar it was packed with patrons. The bar was much busier than usual on a Thursday night. Daryl attributed it to word of mouth about Davia's return. She truly was a big draw for Dale and he couldn't be more proud of his girl. When Davia was on stage all of her insecurities melted away and she owned her performance.

Daryl took his usual seat, which was a table up by the front stage where he could get a full view of Davia performing. Beth and Zach soon joined him at the table. Beth had actually filled in for a few of Davia's missed performances and she was excited to hear her friend sing again. Unfortunately Hershel was under the weather and unable to attend. Brad had come out to chat with Daryl and confirm that the band would be able to play the wedding and then he mentioned that he wanted to talk to Daryl after tonight's performance about an opportunity that they had coming up. Daryl agreed and told him he would wait for him after the show so they could talk.

Even though Daryl had told Davia they would wait until the next day to tell anyone about their decision to adopt, Daryl just couldn't keep it from Zach and Beth any longer. He took the sonogram out of his pocket and showed Beth and Zach the picture of his and Davia's daughter. Beth pressed her hand over her mouth to fight back tears and Zach gave Daryl a very large slap on the back as a way of showing congratulations.

"Y'all are really going through with it. Can't wait for ya to bring the little princess home. Look you know good and well Beth and Davia are going to immerse the little girl in lace and pink satin, but there isn't any reason we can't teach her to hunt." He told her.

"Don't let Davia hear you say that. That's about as close to blasphemy as you can come. Trust me, I've got plans for our little girl." Daryl said proudly.

"I think it's beyond admirable what you and Davia are doing Daryl. Merle would be happy too." Beth said.

"Could you imagine grumpy old Merle with a little baby girl. Davia and I will be sure to tell her all about Uncle Merle…at least the good parts…when she is old enough." Daryl promised.

"And between Grandpa Hershel and Grandpa Will she is going to be spoiled rotten." Beth replied.

"Reckon she will…but that's OK. She may be the first fucking Dixon that grows up normal." Daryl said honestly.

"Of course she will, look who her parents will be." Beth said, flashing him that adorable smile she had.

The music began to play and Daryl looked over to the table beside where he was sitting with Zach and Beth and noticed Cheryl had made another appearance, but this time it was with one of Merle's old running buddies he hadn't seen in a while. Daryl remembered Merle calling the guy Mitchell, but he was never sure if it was a first or last name.

Cheryl might have well been topless. She had on a halter-top that was completely back less and the front plunged so deeply that if she sneezed her breasts were going to make a very quick appearance. Daryl shook his head and wondered why he had even bothered with the girl. However, she seemed to relish in the attention her date Mitchell gave her as well as the other gawking men within a ten-foot radius. Beth took one look at the girl and just rolled her eyes.

"The girl has no shame." Beth whispered to Daryl and Zach.

"Nope, she's a two bit whore. Glad she ain't my problem no more." Daryl said.

Davia and Brad started off the set with Brad introducing Davia to a hearty round of applause. The two jumped into a duet that everyone loved them to perform "I'm just a fool" by Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton.

Daryl was so engrossed in Davia's performance he didn't notice Mitchell had slipped up beside him and pulled up a chair. "Dixon it's been a while."

Daryl turned to see the guy at his table and wasn't happy that his space had been invaded. "Yeah it has." Daryl simply responded.

"So what is this I hear about you becoming a pig…I mean cop?" The man taunted.

"Ain't none of your business unless you make it that way. Last time I checked I didn't have to answer to you or anyone else." Davia said.

"That's fair." Mitchell said as he raised his hands in mock surrender.

"What are you doing here tonight? That chick you are with has been with half the men in this town." Daryl said making a reference to Cheryl.

"Don't doubt it one bit, but she looks hot as hell." Mitchell said.

Then Mitch let the shoe drop "And just so you know Dixon, that songbird up there on the stage…she belongs to me. I got her cherry and there ain't a damn thing you can do about it." The guy said sadistically.

"What the fuck?" Daryl said as it hit him. Davia had said it was a guy named "Mitch" in high school that had drugged her and taken her virginity. Daryl connected the dots and without thinking he stood up and thrust himself at the guy, his fists connecting with Mitch's face.

"What you did to her was rape and you fucking know it." Daryl shouted, not noticing that the music around them had stopped and everyone was now paying attention to the two men fighting up at the front of the stage. Davia rushed down to pull Daryl out of the brawl when she noticed whom it was he was fighting with, and when she saw it was Mitch her mouth dropped open. "Oh My God what are you doing here?" She asked.

"I was coming back to get another taste of my songbird and I found out she was fucking a Dixon. Merle was bad enough, but you…you're the little pussy Dixon." Mitch taunted.

Once again, fists were flying and Brad pulled Davia away from the brawl going on in front of them. It was by no means his or Davia's first bar room brawl, but it was the first one that involved people they knew. Within a few minutes the cops showed up and Daryl and Mitch were both handcuffed and taken out to the police cruiser. None other than Shane Walsh was on duty tonight and he almost delighted in taking Daryl into custody. "You can kiss your career in law enforcement good bye after this one Dixon" Shane bellowed.

"Fuck you Walsh. You've wanted this all along, I reckon you got your wish." Daryl said as Shane roughly shoved Daryl in the back of his car. Daryl's face was bruised and his knuckles were bloody, as was his counter part in the fight. Another officer had taken Mitch down to the county lock-up where Daryl was being taken…both men in separate cars.

Meanwhile back at the club Davia was beside herself with fear, anger, and embarrassment. Brad had been doing his best to get her to calm down and Zach and Beth were there for her as well. "How could he do this? He takes his GED tomorrow and I am sure this is going to jeopardize his career. Why would he risk all of that for me?" Davia asked.

Beth answered "Because he loves you and that asshole baited him. I wouldn't put this past Shane Walsh one bit. Don't you find it a little strange that Shane was the first officer to show up on the scene? I know Shane and he never gets anywhere fast. It's almost like he was waiting for this to happen. Didn't you say Shane, Lori, and this Mitch guy all went to school with you?"

"Shit you're right Beth. But that doesn't matter, Daryl still attacked him." Davia said.

"Yeah he deserved it though. The things he said…well they weren't very nice. We all know Daryl has a hair trigger temper." Zach said.

"So what do we do?" Davia asked.

"Y'all stay here and I will go make his bail." Brad told them.

"No Brad…you don't have to do that for us." Davia pleaded.

"Hush Davia, I'm gonna help you out with this and I don't want you complaining. Daryl's always been an upstanding guy and what happened tonight wasn't his fault. I'm gonna take care of it for ya. You don't need to go down to the station and risk seeing that jerk Mitch. Got it?" He said as he reached out and gave Davia a sweet pat on the back.

"Thank you." Was all she could get out.

"Come on Davia we will get you home." Beth said. Zach drove his car and Beth opted to Drive Daryl's truck so Davia wouldn't have to focus on the trip home.

…

Daryl hadn't been at the jail fifteen minutes before he heard the gate to the cell fly open and a VERY angry Rick Grimes.

"What the hell were you thinking Daryl? I have gone out on a limb for you so I can get you on the force and you go and do something completely idiotic like this."

"I'm sorry." Was all Daryl could muster.

Shane was standing out in the hall just outside of the holding cell and Daryl heard him speak "You want me to collect his badge and the keys to the cruiser Rick?"

Rick let out a frustrated breath "No Shane. That won't be necessary. This was…a mistake and it won't happen again. Will it Daryl?" Rick asked.

"No it won't." Daryl said simply.

"But what about charges? Dolgen said he would press charges." Shane said emphatically.

"Well I'm sure when I mention the fact that he has an outstanding warrant he might be willing to compromise. This goes away, on both parts." Rick said emphatically.

"Rick you can't be serious. You're gonna just let him walk on this like nothing happened?" Shane lamented.

"Shane you need to drop it. The last time I checked fucking your fellow Superior officer's wife was also grounds for dismissal and I let that slide, so keep you damn mouth shut and let me handle this." Rick scolded.

Finally Shane stormed off and left Daryl and Rick alone. "Daryl you listen to me. You are going to take that exam tomorrow and you are going to pass it. Then you are going to bust your ass at the academy and graduate with honors. I need you on this force and I am taking a big leap of faith bringing you on. So this is your one mistake. You so much as glance sideways at anyone while you are on your probationary period I will end this mission immediately. Are we clear?" Rick stated.

"We're clear." Daryl said embarrassed at the chastising that Rick just gave him, but relieved that he hadn't lost his opportunity to pursue his career in law enforcement.

"…And Rick, Thanks". Rick nodded tersely as he opened the door and let Daryl out of the cell. When Daryl made his way to the main lobby of the police station he was surprised to see Brad out there waiting for him.

"Figured you could use a ride." Brad said as he and Daryl went out to Brad's truck so Brad could take Daryl home. Daryl had a lot to process and a lot of apologizing to do to everyone for his actions. He couldn't believe that he let the weasel get to him like that, but what Mitch had done to Davia all those years ago was inexcusable and Daryl needed to deal with the guy…the right way. One thing for sure, Mitch would definitely be on Daryl's radar for the foreseeable future.

**Y'all I'm sick as a dog and would love some good feedback. I haven't had a lot in the previous chapters and I think people are getting bored with the story. So let me know.**

**That being said, stay warm!**

**Hugs and Kisses-**

**Missy**


	22. Chapter 22

Daryl Dixon had never given a care if he disappointed someone or not…until now. Seeing the disappointment on Rick's face had gutted Daryl. He was going to be sure to make up to Rick for what he had done tonight because he knew his actions embarrassed the Sheriff. The first chance that Daryl had to act like he wasn't a Dixon, he failed miserably. When Mitch mentioned Davia and what he had done to her all those years ago, something in Daryl snapped. That one incident changed Davia's life forever and hurt her deeper than anything else she had ever experienced to that point in her life. Mitch not only brought it up, but he seemed to be proud that he had taken Davia's virginity, and he knew Daryl well enough throughout their encounters through the years to know Daryl would react first and think later. Daryl had been played and he knew it. There was no doubt that somehow Shane and Lori had something to do with it, but he had no way to prove it.

Daryl finally spoke "Brad I appreciate you picking me up. I also want to apologize for letting things get out of hand tonight."

"Ain't no need to apologize to me Daryl…shit happens. Is what you said true? Did he really rape Davia? You don't have to answer if you don't want too, but I heard you holler at him and could tell by the anger in your voice something went down." Brad asked.

"Happened a long time ago when she was just a kid. She didn't know what to do or have anyone to turn too. He drugged her and took advantage of her. Too much time has passed to do anything about it, but Davia lives with it every single day. I know damn well he was there for a reason and that was to piss me off. Someone doesn't want me on the force, and I know who that someone is, but I gotta prove it." Daryl told Brad.

"Well officer Dixon, I have faith that you will figure it out." Brad teased.

"Brad-I know the evening went South quick, but you had mentioned earlier you needed to talk to me about something. Is everything OK?" Daryl asked changing the topic from Davia.

"Well I didn't know how to approach you with this because I haven't mentioned it to Davia yet. I realize y'all are getting married soon and you're fixing to be going to the academy real soon too, but we've been offered an opportunity to do a two week tour in Europe, mostly the UK and Germany, and we would love to take Davia with us. The money is off the charts and it would be a chance for her to get to see a part of the world that she's never seen, on someone else's dime." Brad asked politely.

Daryl thought about what Brad had just proposed. Davia would be gone for two weeks, but with him going hard and fast at his training it wouldn't be a bad idea. However, it would be their first true separation since they met, and so soon after getting married. Plus the fact that Davia would be experiencing something for the first time without him…not that he ever gave much thought to world travel. Daryl sat in silence mulling it over.

"Man, I appreciate you asking me, but it ain't my call. I don't own Davia and I don't want her to feel like I do. It sounds like a chance of a lifetime for her and I trust you would keep an eye on her while y'all are on the road. If she wants to do it, then I fully support her. Now would be a good time. With me getting through my academy training and the baby coming in May…" Daryl said before Brad interrupted him.

"Baby? Daryl I didn't know. There ain't no way I could take her away in that condition and have her on that long flight keeping the crazy touring hours." Brad said suddenly worried about Davia's health.

"No, sorry I guess I assumed you knew. Davia and I are adopting a baby in May. My brother Merle left a legacy behind before he passed and the mother isn't in any condition to raise the child, so Davia and I are adopting her." Daryl told him.

"A little girl huh…that will be good for Davia and cause many sleepless nights for you. I didn't realize that y'all had all this going on, but I am happy for both of ya, and the child too. You both will be good parents." Brad said sincerely.

"Thanks man." Daryl replied.

…

When Brad dropped off Daryl it was close to three in the morning and Davia was still awake, pacing nervously. The sound of Brad's truck brought her to the front porch where she waited as Daryl got out of the vehicle and shook Brad's hand. He looked up to Davia, expecting to see anger but only saw concern on her face.

"Come on in baby and let's get you to bed." She told him as she mouthed "thank you" to Brad.

"I'm so sorry Davia. I acted like a complete ass tonight and I am sure I embarrassed you." Daryl said as she led him upstairs to their room.

"No, I'm sorry Daryl for putting you in a place where you felt you had to defend me like that. Is it pretty safe to assume that Rick terminated you from the force?" She said sadly.

"No…he is giving me another chance, but he gave me one hell of an ass chewing." Daryl admitted.

"Thank God Daryl. Look I know you're tired, but I really think Shane and Lori had something to do with what happened tonight. Did you notice who the first officer on the scene was?" Davia told him.

"I did babe…let's talk about it in the morning. I'm wiped out." Daryl said to Davia.

"Fine, but let me clean you up before you go to sleep. You get changed and lay down and I will get the first aid kit and clean you up. What time do you need to be up in the morning?" Davia asked him.

"My exam is at eight, so I probably should get up around six." He told her, groaning inwardly at how late it already was.

"OK sweetie. I will set the alarm and you just try to relax." She told him. Daryl pulled off his clothes and flopped down into their new bed. He had to admit it was the most comfortable bed he had laid in. As his head hit the pillow he almost instantaneously fell asleep while Davia gently cleaned up his cuts and bruises. The last thing he remembered was the sound of Davia closing up the first aid kit and the feel of her kissing him gently on the cheek.

…

The next morning Daryl groaned when the alarm went off promptly at six. Davia got up with him and fixed his breakfast while he took a very cold shower trying to get his self together and alert. Today was not a day he needed to fuck up. Everything was hinging on him doing well on his GED exam.

He was surprised when he went to the kitchen to retrieve his coffee and found Davia had baked him blueberry muffins and was in the process of slathering fresh butter on the still hot muffins. "Thought you could use a pick-me-up this morning." She said smiling.

"I will know my results as soon as I am done with my test today so I'm gonna go to the station after I finish to let Rick know if I passed or failed." Daryl told Davia.

"You've got this Daryl…I know you do. When you get home you can turn off your phone and relax. We'll talk about last night tomorrow." She told him.

"I'm so damn tired I ain't even gonna argue. But we will talk about last night. I gotta keep my eye on Shane. He has made no secret that he doesn't want me on the force, and he's gonna do everything in his power to sabotage me every chance he gets. " Daryl confessed.

"We won't let him Daryl. Maybe we should have him and Lori over for dinner and get everything out in the air." Davia suggested.

Daryl laughed "Nope…that ain't happening. Plus all he is gonna do is deny everything and blow smoke up our ass. I respect Rick too much to allow those people to cross our threshold. Whatever his fucking problem is with me he is just gonna have to get over it. He ain't worth the time." Daryl said.

Daryl gave Davia a quick kiss and then headed out to his SUV.

…

When Daryl arrived at the community college he gathered his confirmation paperwork and headed to the registrar's office to find out where he needed to go to take his exam. He was unpleasantly surprised to find out that his name was not on the list of those eligible to take the test.

"I'm sorry Mr. Dixon, you aren't on the list. The next available date will be February 15th." The young clerk named Stephanie replied.

"No, that won't work. I have my confirmation papers right here. I have to take this test today." Daryl insisted.

"Sorry, there isn't anything I can do." Stephanie answered in a matter of fact tone.

Daryl could feel himself getting overwhelmed and knew it was in his best interest to keep his cool. Fortunately for him one of the more seasoned registrars heard what was going on and made her way over to Daryl and Stephanie.

"Hi Mr. Dixon, I'm Lucille. Can I see your paperwork please." She asked nicely. Daryl handed her the papers and sure enough it confirmed he was set to take the test on that morning.

"So Can I sit for the exam?" Daryl asked.

"Yes, I will just need to add you back into the system again. Give me five minutes and I will be right with you." The older lady replied. Daryl wasn't sure if he imagined it or not, but Stephanie seemed like she was disappointed that Daryl was going to be able to take the test. "Stupid Bitch" Daryl thought to himself.

Lucille returned and took Daryl down to the exam room and handed him his test. "Good luck Mr. Dixon. I'm sorry about Stephanie…she can be lazy at times." She said kindly.

Daryl took the test and then waited for the exceedingly long three hours to get his results. He was pleasantly surprised when Lucille delivered his results to him personally. "Well Mr. Dixon, you did very well…I haven't seen results like this in a long time because you only missed one question. Congratulations." She said giving him a big smile.

"Thanks Ma'am, and thanks for getting me squared away today. You have no idea what a big deal this is to me…my whole future was hinging on this test." He admitted to her.

"May I ask what your plans are?" She asked.

"I'm supposed to start the Police Training Academy next month, but without the GED everything would have been put on hold." He told the older lady.

"Well nothing but the best to you. I tell you what, if you pull me over for speeding maybe you will remember this and cut me a break." She joked.

"Consider it done." Daryl told her.

…

Daryl called Davia on his way to the station and gave her the good news. She burst into tears and told him how proud she was of him and encouraged him to "hurry home" after he stopped by to see Rick. Daryl parked his SUV out in front of the station and headed in. He couldn't keep the smile off his face. It was hard to believe that less than twelve hours earlier he had been in one of the jail cells and now he was well on his way to officially achieving his goals.

Daryl couldn't help but notice the look on Shane's face when he looked up and saw Daryl walk into the station. There was no denying the fact that Shane looked disappointed. Daryl just smirked at the cop and headed straight to Rick's office. Rick was on the phone when Daryl arrived, but motioned for Daryl to come in and take a seat.

Rick hung up the phone "That was the North Carolina Forestry Service…they found Ed's truck abandoned up at the Hiwassee Dam. You up for a ride this afternoon?" Rick asked.

Daryl was tired, and he had promised Davia he would spend the afternoon with her, but after the shit he had pulled the night before he didn't want to disappoint Rick. "Yeah sounds like a good plan. Have you heard from Estelle?"

"No I haven't, figured we could stop in and check on her while we are up that way." Rick replied. "How did you do on your test?" Rick then asked Daryl.

Daryl smiled and handed Rick his test results "You tell me…" Daryl said smiling.

…

Daryl had called Davia and told her that he and Rick were headed up to Murphy to follow up on a lead regarding Ed. Davia decided she would take this extra time on her hands and play around in her new Music room. With her hand still in a splint she couldn't play her new piano that well, but she could play her guitar as long as she strummed the instrument.

She sat down on the floor and started softly singing "Tomorrow is a Long Time" by Bob Dylan. Davia began to reflect on how much her life had changed in the past six months. In just a few weeks she would be getting married to the man of her dreams, she was now living in a beautiful farm house that overlooked a lake, had a daughter on the way and friends that loved and supported her. How could she have gotten so lucky? Was everything in life perfect? No…but it was a hell of a lot better than she would have ever thought it would be.

As she was singing she heard her cell phone ring. She answered it immediately when she saw that it was Beth calling.

"Hey sweetie what's going on?"

"Have you seen or heard from Zach?" Beth asked…Davia noting the younger girl sounded as if she were crying.

"Sorry Beth I haven't…is something wrong?" Davia inquired.

"Last night after we dropped you off he told me he didn't want to see me anymore. He told me had had become bored with me and that he wanted more to life than what Blue Ridge and I had to offer. I was so dumbfounded by what happened that I didn't react. I just got out of the car and he left. I haven't heard from him since. I thought he might have contacted you or Daryl. Davia I don't know what to do." She said breaking down into tears.

"Beth, gather up some things and come over here to stay for a bit. You can break in the guest room." Davia told her.

"No Davia, I don't want to be a burden on you and Daryl and I don't want to invade your privacy." Beth insisted.

"You wouldn't be doing either Beth. You shouldn't be alone to drown in your misery. Maybe Zach is just going through something…he never fully dealt with being shot and maybe this is a coping mechanism." Davia said trying to offer some hope to Beth.

"No I think it's something different Davia…he's been changing a lot lately. I just didn't mention it because I thought it was a phase. He started wanting to do things… 'Sexually'…that I wasn't comfortable with. He wanted to do different types of violent and dark things. I went along a couple of times, but I didn't like how he reacted. Davia I really think there is something wrong with him mentally." Beth confessed.

"Um…I don't know what to say Beth. Do you want me to get Daryl to talk to him?" Davia asked.

"No. I really think it's over between us. It just hurts because we have been together for four years. How do you just wake up one day and now you are alone?" Beth asked.

"I don't know how to answer that Beth. Just come on over. We can practice for tonight's show and you can stay with us as long as you need. Daryl isn't going to be home for a while anyhow. He's working and I know he and Rick are headed to North Carolina for the day." Davia informed Beth.

Through sniffles and tears Beth agreed to come on over. Davia wasn't sure how she could make the sweet girl feel any better, but she knew that Musical Therapy could often do wonders in helping a person get through a tough time.

…

Beth showed up and Davia had taken the liberty to call Brad up and invite him over as well. She figured between the two of them they could cheer up Beth as well as practice some new songs and put together a set list for that night's performance.

Beth showed up about forty-five minutes after she had called and Davia helped her get her things settled into the guestroom. They then headed down to the music room and Davia decided they should kick back and relax with a couple of glasses of wine. Brad showed up a little while later and the trio began to pour over lists and lists of songs that were suited to each individuals vocal ranges. Brad opted to stay sober while the girls giggled and sipped their wine, but considering what Beth had been through, it was good to see her smiling.

…

Daryl and Rick were headed back up to the Andrews area to the Hiwassee Dam and then they decided they would pay a visit to Estelle. She had called them with a good lead the other day, but hadn't called back and that left both men a bit concerned.

When the arrived at the Dam they found the stolen truck Ed had taken parked in the parking lot /picnic area as reported to Rick by the NC Forestry service. Daryl and Rick immediately started looking for clues. Daryl noticed some tracks that led from the vehicle to a small path in the woods that headed along the riverbank and then pushed off into the deeper wooded inclines of the hills surrounding them. Daryl opted to follow the trail and one of the Forestry officers accompanied him as they went.

Daryl stopped and squatted down so he could check out the prints a bit closer. "It looks like whoever made these tracks came into these woods and then doubled back. Daryl once again followed the tracks back to where they started, but noticed that the return prints stopped and then headed back in another direction…this time up the steep hill towards the highway overpass. Daryl scrambled up the hill, sliding a few times and noticing that whoever made the tracks did so as well. He made his way to the road and of course the tracks ended. He checked the opposite side of the road and there were foot tracks, but the boot prints didn't match the prints he had been following. Daryl surmised that Ed was with someone else now. Whether he was in the woods or hiding in someone's residence was yet to be determined, but Ed definitely wasn't alone.

Daryl made his way back to Rick who was taking photos of the truck for evidence. "I don't know how one fat mother fucker can stay hidden for so long. Rick he's gotta have at least one accomplice. What do you say we tail Tom-Tom tonight and see what he has been up too? We need to check on Estelle as well. She should have gotten back to us." Daryl said with concern in his voice.

Rick agreed and the two headed back to Murphy to Estelle's place of employment. Her car was parked out front but when they headed into the store to talk to her, she quickly ran towards the back of the store, leaving a young female clerk to man the register. Daryl and Rick looked at each other and knew something wasn't right.

Daryl pulled Rick back. "You head back to the car and I'm gonna head around back. She's avoiding us for a reason and I bet it's because she doesn't want to be seen talking to us. Give me just a minute and then we will get out of here."

Daryl headed around the back of the store where Estelle was busying herself throwing trash into the dumpsters out back. Daryl spoke softly but stayed hidden from Estelle's sight "Estelle don't look up, but answer this question for me, is someone watching you?"

Estelle did as she was asked and didn't look up "They are watching me, and they got my phone. It's not safe to talk to y'all. I've got a daughter and grandson to think about, and they know it."

"Estelle, I'm fixing to leave but I need two answers from you. One is who are "they" and the second answer I need to know is are you in immediate danger? If you are I can get you and your daughter and grandson out of here, but you have to let me know." Daryl told the woman.

"My daughter Sherry is married to a guy named Lucas Kendell. He works for Tom-Tom and is involved somehow with all of this. Lucas knows I talked to y'all and he isn't letting Sherry leave the house. They have a two-year old boy we call Little Luke. If I get caught talking to y'all they said I won't see Sherry or Luke again and I don't know what that entails…but I don't want to find out either. You gotta go and leave me alone. Just make sure they stay safe." Estelle whispered as she began to head back into the store.

"Take care Estelle, and call me or Rick if you need us…we aren't going to abandon you." Daryl assured the woman. He sensed just how scared Estelle was and he knew it took quite a bit to get her to that point. Up until now she had been completely fearless, but Daryl knew it was because of her daughter and grandson's involvement that was scaring not Estelle, not Estelle's concern for herself.

Daryl casually walked around the front of the store and got into the SUV that was now Daryl's County issued vehicle. "We got problems Rick." Daryl told him and then repeated the details of what Estelle had disclosed to him.

"Looks like it's gonna be a long night Daryl. Let's head back to Blue Ridge and get some decent surveillance equipment and then head back. I've got to check on things at home and I am sure you need to do the same. Are You up for this? I know you had a late night last night and a big day early this morning?" Rick asked.

Daryl was wore out, but he put his discomfort aside and nodded to Rick "Let's do this. The sooner we catch this asshole the sooner things can go back to normal for Carol and Sophia."

…

Daryl pulled up in front of the house and noticed Brad's truck and Beth's car were both parked out front. He assumed they were practicing for the show tonight and Daryl realized he would be missing Davia's performance. He made an effort to be at all of her performances when possible, but knew that in the future it would be more difficult, especially after the baby arrived.

As he headed up the steps into the house he heard music coming from the Davia's music room and couldn't help but smile at how well it sounded. He popped his head into the makeshift home studio and Davia lit up when she saw him.

"Hey Y'all, I'm gonna borrow my Fiancée for a moment if ya don't mind." Daryl said as Davia got up to talk to him.

Before her and Daryl could get out of the room Beth spoke "Daryl!" She shrieked and slurred.

"Beth have you been drinking?" Daryl asked when it was very obvious that the girl was slurring her words.

"I have and it feels good. You are such a good man Daryl and I am sooooo happy you and Davia have each other. Don't you ever let her go…do you hear me?" Beth said.

"I promise not too Bethy, but why are you lit on a Friday afternoon? Don't you perform tonight?" Daryl asked.

"I do…but I will be Fiiiiinnnnne." She said spilling a little of her wine as she spoke.

Daryl just laughed as he put his hand on Davia's lower back and guided her out of the room. "You wanna tell me what that is all about?"

"I've invited Beth to stay with us for a few days. Zach dumped her last night and she was pretty upset." Davia told Daryl.

"What the fuck is wrong with that boy? Has he lost his mind? She is beautiful, smart, talented, and absolutely one of the sweetest people I have ever met in my entire life. I need to beat the shit out of him." Daryl replied.

"Apparently Zach was interested in some pretty messed up stuff sexually and Beth wasn't fond of it. He told her he wanted to be with an adult not a child." Davia informed him.

"Still think he is a dumb fuck. God knows what weird shit he was into and I don't blame Beth for not going along with what she wasn't comfortable with. Something has gotten into that boy and I'm gonna try to figure it out." Daryl said.

"No…stay out of it. If he is going down a dark path I don't want Beth to get caught up in it. I have seen too many girls do things they didn't want too so that they could keep their man happy. There is adventuresome sex and deviant sex…and based on what Beth has implied I think Zach was going towards the deviant direction."

"Fucking shame. Just keep an eye on Beth and don't let her get too plastered. I came by to tell ya I'm gonna be gone all night and probably a good portion of tomorrow. We're following up some leads up in North Carolina and we're gonna do some observing tonight. I'm actually glad Beth will be here with ya. I'm gonna see if I can get Brad to take y'all home tonight as well." Daryl told her.

"Look at you Daryl, keeping an eye on me even from a distance. You are such a good man." She said as she gave him an embrace that quickly turned into a passionate kiss.

"Baby I fucking need you so bad. If I wasn't all caught up in this case with Ed I'd take you right here with them in the other room." Daryl growled into her ear.

"I wouldn't fight you off." She replied.

"Mmmm…. You're gonna be the death of me woman." He answered.

"You need to hurry up with all this and let me love you proper Daryl. And it ain't gonna be a one time thing…it's gonna be over and over and over again until I make YOU scream my name." She said in a very saucy and confident manner. Daryl grew hard just at the thought of taking her repeatedly.

"Guess I got some extra incentive now…. Huh." He said as he kissed her again.

…

While Daryl and Davia were talking in the other room Beth began to talk to Brad. "Brad why aren't you married? You are so sweet and cute and nice and talented and…."

"Woah there Ms. Beth. I think you may have had too much wine." Brad said laughing.

"No really, why aren't you with anyone?" She asked.

"I was married once Beth, but she decided she liked the drummer in the band a little better than me. Reckon I've been gun shy since." He answered.

"Don't you have women throwing themselves at you all the time? You have the most beautiful blue eyes…"Beth said, dragging out the word 'blue'.

"There have been a few nights of meaningless passion in the past, but it's not my cup of tea darling. Gotta admit I think your boy Zach is a damn fool for letting a pretty little thing like you go. If I was ten years younger Beth I would be chasing you around like crazy." Brad told Beth.

"Brad how old are you?" Beth asked curiously.

"I'm thirty seven…what are you Beth, nineteen or twenty?" He asked.

"No dummy, I'm twenty-four. I just look young for my age because I'm so small. Think about it…I had to be at least twenty-one to perform in a bar."

Brad nodded his head "Yeah, I didn't think about that. What I wouldn't do to be twenty-four again."

"If you spend some time with me Brad I can show you what it's like to be twenty-four again." Beth teased.

"Beth…are you coming on to me?" Brad asked her directly. Beth gave him a big smile "Maybe."

"Look honey, you are just coming out of a long term relationship and you don't want to get yourself mixed up with a loser like me." He told her.

"Why do you think you're a loser? You have so much talent, and you've been places and experienced things." Beth said to him sweetly.

"Trust me Beth, you would be bored with me. My life is music and it's all I know." He told her.

"Brad, in case you haven't noticed I'm a musician too. There isn't any rule that says we can't hangout. Right now I just need a friend. I'm not looking for a relationship, but the company of an attractive and talented man might make me feel better." She said giving him a wink.

"Beth Green, you're gonna get me in some sort of trouble I know it, but there ain't no reason we can't be friends." He told her giving her a smile.

…

Daryl gathered up his items he would need and headed out the door to meet back up with Rick. They had to be careful or the situation could turn south quick. They were headed out to an area that despised the government and law enforcement, and it was obvious that Ed went to this region for a reason. Both Daryl and Rick knew that this went much deeper than Ed fleeing charges from kidnapping, attacking Davia, and a manslaughter charge. Something illegal had been going on with Ed Pelletier. Daryl suspected that Ed's "Insurance" business was some sort of front for money laundering and he was going to figure out why. Rick was in agreement with Daryl's theories…and based on the amount of money flowing through Ed's bank account, this could be a potentially large operation.

…

Nora Blake hated her life. She had failed miserably twice at picking husbands, but at least when she married Will Dixon he had been in love with her and she him. They were dirt poor, but they had each other. Things began to fall apart for them when Will took a more lucrative job, which eventually led him down the path of infidelity and alcoholism.

When she met Philip Blake he was handsome, witty, and charming. She was caught up with him, and after she had poured her heart out to him regarding her situation with her ex-husband and her two sons he had promised he would do everything in his power to help her get her boys back. He even promised her a trip to Blue Ridge right after they got married.

Philip had been attracted to her exquisite beauty, kindness, and though slightly unpolished, her social graces. He had political ambitions and Nora fit the mold of a perfect political wife. As soon as they were married he hired stylists, educators, tailors, and 'handlers' to mold Nora into the perfect politician's wife. It didn't take her very long to realize what she had gotten herself into. She had basically sold her soul to the devil. Now she had been living in twenty-two years of hell.

Philip controlled each and every aspect of her life. Her money, her style, her friends, what she ate and who she was seen with. Not only did she have to endure having her life completely controlled by the ambitious political machine that was Philip Blake, but she had to live with his indiscretions as well. Including the twelve-year-old daughter that Philip had secretly fathered with a young summer intern. Ironically, the young intern took ill and passed away within a few days of giving birth and Philip "adopted" the child out of the goodness of his heart. Nora knew the story was bullshit, especially since his daughter Penny looked just like him. Of course if she expressed her thoughts there would be a punishment and Nora was just too tired to deal with yet another humiliation from her husband.

Nora poured her fourth, or was it fifth now, shot of vodka and was startled when the phone range. She answered it groggily "Hello."

"Hello…I'm Michonne Prentiss and I am looking for Nora Blake. I have information for her regarding her youngest son Daryl who has been trying to get in touch with her." Michonne replied.

"My son…Daryl? Is he OK?" She answered as tears welled up in her eyes uncontrollably.

"Yes ma'am…I assume you are Nora Blake?" Michonne inquired.

"I am but I can't talk right now. Can you give me a number where I can call you back from a different location at a better time? It's not safe for me." She said without thinking.

Michonne gasped silently at Nora's response. "Yes…here is my number and you can call me anytime you feel it is safe."

"I will call you tonight at midnight my time…which will be two in the morning your time. Is that OK?" Nora asked cautiously.

"Yes ma'am it's fine. I have a lot I need to tell you." Michonne replied.

"Thank you…I have a lot I need to know." Nora said fighting back more tears. As they hung up Nora found herself getting sick. She picked up the half-bottle of vodka and smashed it against the marble floor in her bedroom.

"My baby is trying to find me. I've got to get out of this hell and get back to my family…but how?" She said as she dropped to her knees and began to cry uncontrollably.

**I am so sorry for this chapter. It's just not very good. I have been super sick with the winter crud...actually the doc said it was Pneumonia and I just really really struggled with getting this chapter out. Next chapter will have more regarding Daryl's mother Nora and what is going on with Ed as well. I hope y'all aren't mad at me for the twist regarding Zach. I just got bored with him as Beth's boyfriend...**

**If I feel better I will try to get these updates out sooner. **

**Please let me know what you think and I adore (And really really could use...) some reviews. I need inspiration.**

**Two weeks from tonight S5 Pt. 2 begins and and I can't wait.**

**Hugs and love...and please stay healthy...**

**Missy  
XXOO**


	23. Chapter 23

"Beth are you really gonna sing a Patsy Cline song tonight?" Davia asked her still tipsy friend.

"I am. Sad music always makes me feel better and Damnit, I wanna sing Patsy tonight." Beth insisted.

"Darling normally we want to get the crowd going…not crying in their beer." Brad said trying to talk some sense into the younger girl.

"Look…I'm having a rough day and I promise you it will be a good tribute to Patsy." Beth said adamantly.

"And how do you want to arrange it Bethy? With a piano or guitar?" He asked her.

"Neither, Strictly vocal…and I hope the bastard is there tonight. Knowing Zach, his cocky ass he will show up with some new whore." Beth said, anger laced in her voice.

"Bethy why don't you sing another song? If you sing Patsy it's gonna sound like you are pining away for him. You want something a little angrier. I've got a suggestion…but you have to trust me." Davia told her friend.

"Fine, I won't sing Patsy tonight, so let me hear your suggestion." Beth said, now curious to hear what Davia was going to propose.

"Well the angriest best breakup song I have ever hear is 'You ought to know' by Alanis Morisette." Davia told Beth.

Brad laughed then "Ain't no way Davia. Beth is sunshine and kittens, and well, no offense Beth, but you couldn't pull it off."

Beth looked pissed off at Brad's statement "What do you mean I couldn't pull it off? I have the right to be angry."

"Yes, you do have that right, but it still doesn't mean that you can pull it off. Think about it Beth, could I sing like Pavarotti just because I enjoy opera? Hell no. The vocal styles are completely different. Why not just take the high road and put on the best show you can and avoid broadcasting your personal life? Trust me…folks are gonna gossip as it is and you don't want to add fuel to the fire." Brad told her.

Davia finally nodded "Brad's right Beth. There is a reason he is light years ahead of us career wise, and that's because he's smart and thinks things through. I was wrong to even suggest you sing that song."

Beth let out a loud sigh. "What do I do y'all? I'm lost." Beth began to cry as she continued. "It's been Zach and I for the past four years, I gave him everything…all of me. Hell I gave him my virginity and apparently that wasn't good enough. Maybe I'm just like he said, a prude."

"Listen to me little Gal, just because your asshole ex boyfriend decides he wants to play Fifty Shades of Gray in the bedroom and you don't feel comfortable with it doesn't make you a prude, to me it makes you a lady. Never let a man force you into doing something you don't feel like doing sexually. Now this ain't a subject I'm real good about discussing with two women, but I do want you to know that all men ain't like your Zach." Brad said quite impressively=

It might have been at that moment that Beth suddenly fell in love with Brad. Now if she could get him to look at her as something different than a little kid. Without thinking she threw herself into his arms and wrapped him into a bear hug "Brad…no man has ever said anything so sweet to me in my entire life. I don't know how I can thank you." She said batting her big blue eyes up at him.

"You just did Bethy." He said smiling back at her. Davia just sat there shaking her head. She couldn't deny that there was an attraction between the two very different people. Beth was young, enthusiastic, and almost like a little princess and Brad was older, very country, very traditional, and soft-spoken. He was one of the most considerate individuals she had ever met and truth be told, before she met Daryl, she had a small crush on Brad. But Brad was so wrapped up into his music Davia never found a good time to tell him how she felt. Maybe this little glimmer of something brewing between Beth and Brad might actually lead somewhere…but at this point they both needed to be cautious. Beth was vulnerable and Brad had his heart ripped out two years earlier by his ex-wife. Yeah, there was potential here and Davia hoped it would work out for both of them.

They continued practicing and Beth had finally decided she would just debut some of her own music instead of lamenting after Zach. Brad had made her realize that Zach just wasn't worth the heartache. It was getting close to six and Davia had told the other two she would make them dinner and they could head over to the bar. She went into the kitchen and was taken off guard when she noticed that the back yard had an odd glow. She turned on the back light that illuminated the back porch and the surrounding area and was shocked to see a few inches of snow had fallen. They had been so caught up in practicing their music that none of them had noticed it had begun to snow.

"Y'all, come look." Davia yelled across the house. A few seconds later Brad and Beth were in the kitchen taking in the sight of the heavy falling snow outside.

"It's really coming down out there." Brad said as he opened up the back door and headed outside with Beth following. Davia stood in the doorway and started laughing as the other two began to hurl snowballs at each other.

"Do you think Dale is gonna have the bar open tonight in this weather?" Davia asked as she dodged a wayward snowball.

"Doubt it, but I'll give him a call. Why don't you check the news and see what they are saying." Brad told her.

Davia suddenly began to worry about Daryl. He was back in North Carolina tonight and she was pretty sure that he was out in this weather with Rick. She hoped that maybe their plans would change and Daryl could hurry home to enjoy the snow with her.

….

_**12 Hours later…**_

The events that occurred over the past few hours would forever change the lives of Daryl, Rick, and everyone and everything they knew. Neither man could fully wrap their head around what had happened and what was going to happen. Now the only thing that mattered was getting to their family and friends and getting them safe.

All Daryl's plans for his life were changed. There wasn't going to be a wedding with Davia, no cutting the umbilical chord of his and Davia's daughter when she was born, and no attending the police academy to become Sergeant Daryl Dixon. Instead they had five days to get their shit and go. It was amazing how so much could change in such a short period of time.

It was snowing heavily and Daryl was driving as fast as he could considering the conditions of the road.

"So who do we tell about this?" Daryl asked Rick.

"Everyone we know and trust. We've got to get to the safe zone within ten days, and this is going to involve a border crossing. I don't even know if everyone has passports to cross, but Morgan said he could help with that. I still can't believe this is real." Rick said letting out a deep sigh.

"What about Lori and Shane? Do we tell them too?" Daryl asked.

"We have too, she is possibly carrying my child, and it's Carl's sibling. It's not ideal, but we have to tell them. Whether they go is another question, but I ain't gonna give Lori a choice." Rick replied.

"What about April? She's locked up and she's carrying my brother's child, that I have every intention of raising." Daryl told Rick.

"I can handle that, but it won't be the under the most honest of situations." Rick told him.

"Don't care how it happens, it just needs to happen." Daryl said.

"We'll take Carol and Sophia, but I don't want too, but it's not fair to Sophia. I can't believe the bitch knew all along what was going on and didn't say a thing." Rick said angrily.

"She was scared Rick…You can see why. I can't believe things went down like they did. This doesn't even seem real." Daryl said trying to justify Carol's actions.

"You and Davia need to go to the courthouse Monday and get married. It's the least you can do for her. I know y'all had a wedding planned, but this changes everything. I'll go with you and be your witness. We can take an hour and handle it." Rick said knowing Daryl was disappointed.

"You know Rick, I had all these plans, I was gonna be more than just a white trash Dixon, but I reckon no one is ever gonna know the difference now." Daryl said, disappointment in his voice.

"Daryl you were never a white trash Dixon to me. Yeah, You didn't come up under the most ideal situations, but that wasn't your fault. Look whom you turned into despite all the shit you dealt with. Which reminds me, are you gonna tell your father?" Rick asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, things are good between us now, and he has really come through for me lately when I have needed him. I had Michonne looking for my mother, and I thought we were close, but now it looks like we are gonna run out of time." Daryl said sadly.

"Speaking of Michonne, we need to let her know too. The more people we can save the better." Rick said.

"Do you think they are gonna believe this? I wouldn't if it had been anyone besides Agent Jones informing us. You really have known him for ten years and you trust him?" Daryl asked.

"I would trust him with my life. He wouldn't bullshit us about this." Rick told him.

Daryl let out a breath, blowing his shaggy hair out of his eyes. "We can have everyone meet at my house tomorrow, and use it for a staging area. Does that sound reasonable? We have to be out of Blue Ridge within five days and up into Canada within another five. We need every weapon and supply we can gather. We can pool everyone the funds of everyone who is planning on leaving and go from there. What about the arsenal at the station…is that accessible?" Daryl asked Rick.

"Absolutely, this would constitute a good reason. I don't trust a lot of the staff with this information, and after what Morgan said, probably half of them are in on the plan for the take over." Rick said.

"What about Shane, would he participate in something like this? You know him a lot better than I do." Daryl inquired.

"Shane is an asshole and a womanizer, but he is deeply loyal to his country, he served in the marines. He definitely wouldn't participate in something like this. I may hate him now, but we were close once and I know he would have said something if he had any knowledge about what was going on. He loves Lori and Carl and he would want to protect them." Rick told Daryl.

Daryl just nodded in affirmation. He wasn't happy about bringing Shane along, but it was a necessary evil.

…

It was three in the morning by the time they made it back to Blue Ridge. The roads were treacherous and it took two hours to drive the thirty miles. Daryl dropped off Rick and headed towards his house. Wouldn't you know it when he finally found and purchased his dream home the whole fucking world was going to come to an end. Fucking Dixon luck.

When he pulled into the driveway he noticed Beth's car and Brad's truck. He knew Brad was practicing with the girls and figured he must have opted to stay at the house instead of driving back home. To be honest, with what had happened with Mitch a couple days earlier Daryl was actually glad Brad was at the house while he had been out of town. Daryl didn't trust Mitch to not try to make contact with Davia when he wasn't around.

Daryl entered the house and found Brad asleep on the couch. He tried to be as quiet as possible, but Brad woke up when Daryl walked in. "Hey man, glad you're back." Brad said in a groggy voice.

"Hey Brad. Look, I don't want to scare you or nothing, but you need to plan on staying around here. There is some heavy shit going down and I want you to know about it. We found out some things tonight that are gonna change our lives forever." Daryl said, still being vague. He wanted to be sure that when he and Rick addressed everyone, he didn't fuck up the details.

"What's up Daryl." Brad asked.

"Look, Rick and I are gonna get everyone over here tomorrow as soon as possible and let them all know. Is Beth upstairs?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, I've been fighting her off all night. She's a cute girl, and I admit I'm attracted to her, but she's vulnerable right now and I don't want to be someone's bad decision." Brad admitted.

"She's a good girl Brad and I'm glad you didn't take advantage of her. Just don't write her off because she just broke up with her boyfriend. Based on what Davia told me I think things have been worse than we thought between the two of them for a while. Look, why don't you go back to sleep, you're gonna need it." Daryl said as he headed upstairs to find Davia.

Davia was curled up asleep in their bed. God he loved the bed she had picked out for them and even that depressed the hell out of him. They wouldn't be able to enjoy it together after a few days. And Davia looked like an angel asleep with her hair fanned out against the pillows and cascading down her shoulders. Her nightgown had slipped down exposing her bare shoulder and her upper chest. Daryl suddenly felt himself filled with a primal need to take her.

Daryl slipped off his clothing and ever so gently slipped in bed beside his love. He wrapped his arms around her body and began to pepper her neck and shoulders with soft kisses. As feral as he felt at the moment, he knew to control his urges enough so that he was tender with Davia.

Davia woke and moaned as she relished in the feeling of Daryl loving on her so sweetly. Before she could respond he whispered in an almost desperate tone "I need you tonight Davia."

She nodded in agreement and pushed herself up against his body tightly. He continued to caress her with his lips and allowed his soft tongue to languish along her collarbone. Davia moaned again as she enjoyed the feeling of his tongue against her sensitive skin. She softly replied "I love you so much Daryl."

The sound of her voice offering endearments to him caused his manhood to harden even more. Carefully he rolled her on her back and removed her nightgown, finding she wasn't wearing anything underneath. Davia looked up at him with her big brown eyes and he could see the desire in her expression. "Take me Daryl" she told him, and he obliged.

Daryl began to work his way from her collarbone down towards her ample breasts. He cupped both mounds into his hands and then began to suckle her nipples with his tongue. Immediately Davia bucked her body up towards Daryl as the sensation felt overwhelming to her. He loved how she reacted to his touch.

Davia reached up and as Daryl was lavishing her breasts, she began to run her hands along the side of his body. She felt goose bumps rise along his flesh and heard him let out a low growl. "Feels so fucking good baby."

Daryl's hands began to wander lower and he repeated the same action Davia had performed on him, letting his hands glide gently along her sides. Daryl loved Davia's curves. In his past he had fucked plenty of bony skanks, but Davia was a real woman with a womanly body. He knew she was self-conscious about her excess weight, but to him she was sexy as hell.

Davia's adrenaline was pumping and as she felt Daryl slide one of his fingers inside of her she clenched her walls around him. Even though she had limited sexual experience, she knew what felt good, and she was completely relaxed with Daryl in control of her pleasure.

Daryl slid a finger insider her slickened walls while he began to caress her nub with his thumb. He felt her nerve center harden almost immediately upon his touch and knew she was ready for him. The foreplay was going to be limited tonight, as they both needed a long awaited release. They may have had only a few more days in the house, but he was going to take advantage of the time they had together.

Davia must have sensed Daryl's urgent need to be inside of her as she reached down and began to massage his balls. Daryl let out a loud moan at the feel of her hand cupping him. If she kept it up he was going to cum before he had a chance to be inside of her and that wasn't going to work for him at this time. Daryl tenderly took her hands into his and raised her arms up over her head holding them in place. It was a simple act of dominance, but for some reason it turned him on even more.

Once again Davia bucked up towards Daryl, missing the feeling of his hands rubbing on her most intimate parts and craving the sensation of him filling her with himself. Daryl responded by kissing her long and passionately. He pulled away from the kiss and looked deep into her eyes and seeing nothing but love and desire for him in her gaze. She nodded and he guided himself into her center, filling her up ever so slowly.

At first he just barely penetrated her as he tried to gain control of his own body. She was so wet and warm for him, and that factor added in with the tightness of her walls almost sent Daryl over the edge immediately. He took a deep breath and relaxed himself as he slowly began to thrust into Davia. She began to match his rhythm reacting to each thrust. Their pace began to quicken as each of them was seeking the ultimate in pleasure.

Davia began to cry out loudly as she was getting closer to her orgasm. Daryl could see she was losing all control of her body as waves of pleasure began to wash over her. "Fuck yeah!" She screamed out as she began to moan loudly. Daryl felt her legs shake and she yelled out one more time as her orgasm rocked her body. She clenched her flooded inner walls around Daryl's engorged manhood and he responded with his own release, filling Davia with his passion.

Daryl didn't want to pull himself out of Davia as her warmth continued to envelop him and he still could feel her walls spasm. Both of them were covered in a sheen of sweat and Daryl was still on top of her. Slowly he pulled out and rolled over on his back, disappointed to lose the intimate contact.

Davia fought to gain control of her breathing. Though sex was a new experience for her, she seemed to have caught on quickly. She didn't mind Daryl taking the lead and just let herself respond. It seemed natural to her and the feeling Daryl left her with as she experienced her orgasm just caused her to want him even more. At this point she had no regrets of waiting so long to be in a physical relationship with someone, because that someone was Daryl, and they would be together for the rest of their lives. She was his, and only his…despite what Mitch claimed.

"I love you Daryl and I'm glad your home." She said softly as she ran her fingers softly through his shaggy hair.

"Davia I thank God everyday you're my life, now go back to sleep baby girl." He said sweetly. It was now four in the morning and he knew he didn't have time to get to sleep. He had no idea how to break the news of what he and Rick discovered that night to her, but knew he had to start making calls and getting people over to the house as soon as possible. His father would be up within the hour, so Daryl set the alarm clock for five and tried to get at least an hour of sleep. He had barely had any sleep the night before and now it looked like he would be going on another day with very minimal rest. That was OK though, because he had Davia and they had a plan to get to a safe place, and that was all that mattered.

…

The one-hour nap wasn't enough for Daryl to feel any sort of relief from his exhaustion. He quietly rolled out of bed and went to the closet to find something to wear. He decided to take a shower in hopes that it would help him become more alert. There was too much riding on today for him to be half out of it.

After his shower he went down to the kitchen and fixed himself a strong cup of black coffee and then headed out to the back patio where he could call his father. It was still dark outside as it was now December and the crisp cold air did help him feel more alert. Even though darkness still enveloped everything, he could still see the brightness of the snow shining through in the waning moonlight. It was a beautiful surreal image and it saddened him that he wasn't going to be able to enjoy it.

Daryl pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, lit up a cigarette, and called his father.

"Daryl?" The voice on the other side said, a bit confused by the call at five in the morning.

"Yeah, it's me. I need you to listen to me and not ask any questions. You, Jacqui, and Michonne need to make a trip to my house first thing this morning. There is some big shit about to happen and our survival depends on what we are gonna discuss." Daryl said in a serious deadly tone.

"Can you give me an idea of what's going on son?" Will asked.

"It's too convoluted to get into over the phone, but trust me you will want to hear it. Rick will be here to help get the details together. Make sure Michonne comes along too, she's family and needs to know as well." Daryl said.

"OK Daryl, I trust your instinct about this. We will be over around nine, will that work?" His father asked.

"Yeah, that will be good."

…

By nine that morning a very apprehensive and inquiring crowd had gathered at Daryl's house. All of them had navigated the icy roads to make their way to Daryl's to discuss what was going on. Rick had showed up with Shane, as Lori was feeling poorly due to her pregnancy. Of course Shane still carried a huge chip on his shoulder, but apparently Rick had convinced him that what they had to discuss was important. Also gathered at the house was Tyreese, and his sister Sasha, Dale, Will, Jacqui, and Michonne, Hershel, Beth, Brad, Maggie and Glenn, and Andrea.

Everyone was crowded into the living room and Dale finally broke the ice with the question that was on everybody else's mind "Daryl you have peaked mine and everyone else's curiosity with your urgent request to show up here this morning. Do you mind letting us in on this urgency?"

Davia was sitting down in a chair she had brought in from the dining room and Daryl was standing behind her with his hands on her shoulder. He had yet to even divulge to her what was going on and just told her that it was a life changing event that they had to discuss and there were too many details to explain it numerous times. She reached up and grabbed his hand as Rick stepped into the center of the room and began to speak.

"Last night while Daryl and I were following up on a lead regarding Ed Peletier we stumbled upon a group meeting. This isn't just any group, but a fully organized militia that has factions throughout the United States. They refer to themselves as the 'Sons of the South' and are part of the much larger and polarized group called 'Sons of the True Revolution'." Rick began.

Dale then spoke "Militia groups certainly aren't anything new, especially in this area, so why is this such an urgency?"

"This group is numbered in the hundreds of thousands. They have kept it a very well organized secret and have been working towards a full political and military take over for the past five years. What makes this group so different are the sheer numbers and powerful people involved. It's being led by a billionaire Governor out west in Wyoming who goes by the name Blake." Rick informed everyone.

Michonne then spoke "Philip Blake?"

"Yes, that's him. Do you know him?" Rick inquired.

"Not personally, but I know of him." Michonne realized now what Nora Blake had been saying about being in danger. She was involved deeply and Michonne had yet to even discuss what she had found out with Daryl.

Shane then spoke "But Rick, there isn't anyway this could happen. We have secret service and law enforcement, and military generals that would be prepared to thwart any threats."

"I thought that too Shane, but from what we were told, most of the secret service are in on the plan as well. You would be surprised at how much money has passed hands to buy off either silence or loyalty in this situation. In ten days there are factors in place that will completely collapse the banking systems, destroy communications and cross country routes, and to assassinate the president and any other high ranking officials deemed a threat." Rick told the group.

Maggie then spoke "How do you know this is true? Over hearing a conversation from a bunch of Militants in the Mountains of North Carolina is far from concrete evidence."

"We over heard the conversation, but we ran into a high ranking Secret Service agent named Morgan Jones who confirmed everything. He has been tracking this group for the past year and has had his life threatened for his involvement. Currently he has gone underground with limited contact to anyone except for a few loyal agents who are planning on bugging out this week." Rick said, hoping that this would eliminate any skepticism in the group.

"Morgan? He's a good man, I've met him and he wouldn't bullshit any of us or lead us astray. If he says this is the real thing, its real." Shane said, surprisingly backing up Rick.

After Shane's confirmation people began talking amongst themselves trying to process the information that they had been given. Normally the quiet one, Brad asked the million-dollar question "So why are we all here? We are no match for what is going to happen."

Daryl finally spoke "Even though there isn't a lot we can do about it, we have a plan and a safe place to go. OK, safe might not be the best term, but we have a place to go to avoid what's going to happen here. If we stay we stand a good chance of getting enslaved into the new society. Anyone who doesn't go along with the new government will be sent to "re-training camps" or killed to set an example to anyone who thinks about rebelling. The new government will make communism and dictatorships look like freedom. I don't know about y'all, but I don't want to exist in world like that. Agent Jones has made contact with another agent who has a place for us in Alaska where we would be relatively safe."

"Alaska?" Beth said out loud.

"Yes, in between Homer and Anchor point Alaska. It's an abandoned fish camp that is in a sub-arctic environment. That means it rarely gets below zero in the wintertime, but rarely gets out of the sixties in the summer time. A much colder climate than we are all used too, but survivable. Especially since it's December already and we would be past growing season. There are plenty of natural resources for us to sustain ourselves with, but we would need to go on up with a good stock of supplies to get us to spring. We know there is one completed bunk house we can all stay in to get through the winter, but we can take campers up if you are concerned about privacy."

Glenn then spoke "Why is Alaska any different than the rest of the United States? Who's to say they aren't in on the coup as well."

Rick answered "Because they have already pulled all of their political support and have maintained they won't go along. Since the country of Canada separates Alaska from the US it would be difficult for the new regime to retaliate since they would have to go through another country to get there. It's been accepted that they don't want to deal with the remoteness of Alaska and it's reputation of independence."

"So how do we get there? Don't you need a passport to get through Canada? Does everyone have passports? They take a few weeks to process and by then it will be too late." Andrea asked.

"Agent Jones has that covered. He will meet us here on Wednesday and we will leave out on Thursday. We have to be in Canada by Tuesday before all hell breaks loose and the borders are closed. Its around 4500 miles and once we cross into the Canadian Klondike the roads at this time of year can be treacherous, but for now the key is making it across the border. We have a specific point to pass through at a specific time and once we make it, we have at least eliminated the issue of getting stuck in the lower forty-eight."

"So what do we need to do?" Hershel asked.

Daryl replied "We need to spend as much time today making a list of all the supplies we are going to need and assign individuals to acquire them. Since money is going to be useless in a few days I figure we can pool all of our resources together to get everything we are going to need. We will need at least two large moving trucks and as many four-wheel drive vehicles as we can find. We are also going to need non-perishable food sources, staples such as sugar, salt, and flour, guns, ammo, tools, and each and everyone of us are going to need good warm clothing. We can work all of that out today and get everything together by Wednesday. Today is Saturday, so that gives us about four and a half days."

Tyreese then stood up "I'm in. I ain't gonna risk staying behind. If something happens and the coup doesn't take place, then we return with a lot of camping supplies and food, but there is too much to risk by not going along. Who can we tell about this?"

"Outside of your immediate family and trusted friends we really shouldn't tell anyone. If someone finds out what we are doing there are individuals in the area that would do everything in their power to prevent us from leaving. Tyreese I know you are dating Karen and Sasha I know you are seeing Bob Stookey, who is one of the EMT's in Blue Ridge, and I trust both of them."

Andrea then spoke "What about my sister Amy, she's just out of college and I don't want to leave her behind."

"As long as she can keep this under wraps I don't have a problem with it Andrea. She and everyone else in this room need to know that this is going to be a long hard journey, and once we get there, survival isn't going to be easy. It's remote and my guess is supplies in and out of Alaska will be limited. So that means that we will have to be self-reliant. Everything is now about survival and not luxury."

Dale then spoke "So that's it, we just leave everything we know behind and go based on very limited information? Don't forget I have a wife who has cancer."

Rick nodded "I understand the dilemma Dale, but if things go down the way we believe they will, Irma won't stand a chance. There will be no more treatments and they will work her until she drops dead. At least she will be surrounded by people who care and will do everything they can to take care of her."

Andrea spoke "Um, I have sort of been seeing one of the physicians at the hospital, would it be possible to include him in on this as well?"

"Depends on who it is and if they can be trusted." Daryl answered.

"Dr. Milton Mahmet." Andrea replied.

Daryl almost let out an audible laugh. Who knew such a socially awkward man would be involved with a beauty like Andrea? Daryl knew he was a good man, just a bit different and it would be good to have a doctor with them and he had done an excellent job of taking care of Davia when Ed had attacked her.

"Yeah, he can come with us, just stress to him that it doesn't get discussed outside of this group. Any medical supplies and equipment he can provide would be helpful. Meds are going to be difficult to come by." Daryl said. Andrea nodded.

Tyreese then added one final thing "My cousin Theodore, I'm going to include him too. He doesn't have anyone and I know he would be a big help. He's got a heart of gold and I don't want him left behind."

Davia then spoke "Of course Tyreese, T-dog has always been good to me and I would want him to be with us."

Dale then added, "So I guess that's it. We go to Alaska. Let's discuss what needs to happen and where we go from here."

…

After they spent the afternoon planning and assigning responsibilities to everyone Daryl could barely hold his eyes open. Everyone decided that they would spend one last night alone with their families before they went into full preparation mode. The biggest challenge was going to be getting all of their supplies together without alerting anyone outside of their group.

Michonne, Jacqui, and Will had opted to stay the night with Daryl and Davia as everyone else had returned to their own homes. Needless to say, everyone was very apprehensive. There was nothing more Daryl wanted to do then to go out and start loading up his tools and weapons, but his body was failing him at the moment. You couldn't survive on just a few hours of sleep over three days.

As soon as everyone left Michonne asked to speak to Daryl. Will, Jacqui, and Davia were still in the living room with them and Michonne wasn't sure if Daryl wanted to speak openly in front of them.

"Can we just talk here? I don't have any secrets and I might as well get used to sharing my business with others. It looks like we are all gonna be living in close quarters from here on out." Daryl said.

"Earlier Rick mentioned Philip Blake. I don't know how to tell you this Daryl, but he is your stepfather. I made contact with your mother and she is terrified. She didn't let me know what was going on, but she said she was in danger and being watched most of the time. He is basically holding her captive and that's why she has never returned to Blue Ridge to see you. Blake didn't want to risk his political career by allowing her to have a second family. Daryl she wants out but doesn't know how to go about it. Another thing, I think she might have a drug and alcohol addiction. She definitely seemed to be under the influence when I spoke with her."

Daryl closed his eyes as he processed the information. It hurt him to find out that she had supposedly fell into the same trap as his father and Merle. It was ironic to him that his father was now sober and his mother, whom he could barely remember, was now struggling with their demons.

"Is there anyway I can contact her?" He asked.

"She's going to call me tomorrow at midnight. Blake leaves each night to take care of 'business' and she is able to talk freely at that time." Michonne informed him.

"Would it be OK if I spoke to her? What has she said about the fact that I'm trying to find her?" He inquired, almost scared of what her response would be.

"She obviously didn't divulge what was going on with her husband, but she does desperately want to see you. But I don't know if that is going to be possible now with all that's going on." Michonne replied.

"Let me talk to her, and if it is possible, then we will get her out of there and take her with us. I don't want her to suffer anymore. She's suffered enough in this life and she deserves to be happy. I will get the details from her and we can determine what we need to do then." He said. Daryl was so scared and angry for the situation his mother was in that his initial reaction was a need to hit something, but he was too tired and knew it wouldn't solve anything and would probably upset Davia to boot.

Daryl had yet to discuss everything with Davia. She hadn't said much other than to offer coffee and prepare dinner for everyone. He knew they needed to talk, but he wasn't sure if he could physically and emotionally handle that conversation right now. He was sitting on their couch slouched back into the cushions barely holding his eyes open. Without thinking he blurted out "Davia, just because all this is happening don't mean I ain't gonna marry ya. We're going to the courthouse on Monday and regardless if this thing goes down in ten days or not, legally you will be Mrs. Dixon."

"What? You still want to marry me?" She asked, almost scared he would change his mind.

"More than anything. I want all y'all there too. It won't be like what we were planning, but it will still be special. And look at it this way, I'm taking you on an Alaskan honeymoon." Daryl said, trying to lighten the tension in the room.

"Son that will be wonderful. It will give us a little bit of joy in our last few days here. It's a shame we won't get to see my granddaughter though." Will said sadly.

"Not true. Rick and Andrea are working something out. I didn't want to say it in front of everyone, but April is going with us. That's why Milton coming along is such a good idea. He can help with the pregnancy, and Rick's ex is expecting too. It ain't an ideal situation, but having Dr. Mahmet with us will help ease some of the unknown."

Daryl looked at Davia and saw sadness on her face. He knew what she was thinking…would there ever be a time for her to conceive a child as well. Now that he thought about it he realized her birth control pills would only last so long and they would have to go back to using condoms, and when the condoms were gone….

Daryl leaned over and whispered in Davia's ear "I know you want a baby Davia, and we gotta have faith that it will all work out one day. It may not be for a few years, but things will have to eventually settle down and we can live a life. I promise you one thing, and that is we will come back to Blue Ridge one day. This is our home, and I refuse to believe it will be lost forever."

A few tears slipped from Davia's eyes as Daryl spoke to her. He had read her mind, which only proved that they were very much in tune with each other.

"Let's not talk about it now Daryl. There are too many other things to worry about and focus on." She whispered back to him as she gently placed her hand on his knee.

Daryl stood up and headed out back for a smoke. Before he left the room out he reached his hand out to Davia and said "If y'all don't mind I wanna spend a little alone time with my woman. Make yourselves at home and don't wait up on us." He then took Davia by the hand and led her outside with him, but not before bundling her in her coat so she would be warm. It would be one of the last times they would be alone for a long while. He knew Alaska was an untamed land, and Davia had never remotely been exposed to what they were venturing into, but he knew that no matter what he would protect her and teach her to survive. It wasn't an ideal situation, but as long as they had each other they could make it.

**So I have to apologize for how long it took me to update, I've been sick for the past month and then I returned to work WAY behind. However, I'm back. I have to admit I had creatively hit a wall. As you have noticed, this story has taken a completely new direction and I hope you aren't angry about that. I've got a lot more ideas now and hope to be able to update much sooner.**

**Next chapter Daryl will finally get a chance to communicate with his mom and all the preparations for the trip to Alaska will be underway. **

**On another note, last nights TWD was probably my favorite this season besides the premier...very emotional. I will be watching it again tonight just because so much happened I am sure I missed something.**

**I promise the next update will be much sooner. **

**Take care y'all...**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	24. Chapter 24

"Daryl it's freezing out here." Davia said to him as he cleaned off the snow on one of the benches on the patio so they could sit. On top of Daryl bundling Davia in her coat, he had grabbed an old quilt to wrap around them for extra warmth. It was cold and crisp, but they were alone and there wouldn't be that much time for them to be like this for a while.

"Just snuggle into me girl and I will keep ya warm." He told her as he wrapped his arms around her. He was spent physically and emotionally, but he just wanted her in his arms without an audience.

"Did you really mean what you said about us coming back here one day?" She inquired.

"Yeah, I meant it. Don't know how or when, but this is our place and we will re-claim it. I ain't giving up on my…on 'Our' dream."

"Can I ask how we are going to get April? It's not an easy thing to break someone out of prison." Davia asked Daryl. She was terrified about them not being able to raise the baby, though raising a baby in the harsh Alaskan wild scared her too.

"Not a word of this to anyone, not even Beth. Andrea is going to schedule April for a visit to the hospital for a medical check and request that someone from the Sheriff's office will escort her. That person will be Rick. It will be the last thing that happens Thursday morning before we all head out." Daryl told her.

"It does sound like a good plan but I will be honest though, I don't look forward to having April with the group. What if she changes her mind about us raising the baby? She is now going to be stuck with us for the long haul." Davia told him.

"Unfortunately we don't really have any other options. That's Merle's child and our responsibility to take care of her. What happens to April after the child is born is up to her, but she ain't our problem. Our baby girl ain't gonna be raised by a junkie." Daryl said emphatically.

"But Daryl we may need her to nurse the baby and if she does she might bond with the child." Davia pointed out.

"Can't women just pump and then feed the baby with a bottle?" Daryl asked her.

"Yes they can, which means we will have to get a breast pump for her. Lori is expecting too and I think the two of them will be due about the same time."

"Then we gotta make sure we get plenty of baby supplies this week before we leave. Money ain't gonna be a problem since everyone is pitching in. We will be well prepared when we leave. Do you think you know everything you will need?" Daryl asked.

"As much as it pains me to say this, I may consult with Lori or Carol and have them go with me to pick up items." Davia told him.

"I don't want you around Carol. She knew about all of this and didn't say one fucking word. Rick's furious but he ain't gonna hang her out to dry. If it wasn't for Sophia he would though. The bitch was protecting her abusive asshole husband to the end. I'm not sure I can forgive her for that." Daryl said with a bit of anger in his voice.

"I'm sure she had her reasons Daryl. I've never been the biggest fan of Carol, after she tried to come onto you after your injury I wanted nothing more than for her to fall on her face, but she's had a rough time of things. We'll just keep our distance from her." Davia said, meaning what she said. She didn't really care for Carol but wanted to give the woman the benefit of the doubt.

"Maybe. I don't want to waste any time thinking on her. Davia I do want to be honest with ya…I'm worried about how you are gonna handle all of this." Daryl said tenderly to her.

"I'll be fine Daryl as long as I'm with you." She said.

"Davia that ain't gonna be enough. Alaska is a harsh place and I'm not just talking about the conditions. There's a lot of roughnecks out that way and not a lot of women. Rick was telling me it's the highest in the nation in violent crime, especially against women. Your gonna need to learn to protect yourself and I'm gonna teach ya." He told her emphatically.

"I know you will Daryl. Don't worry I'm sure I'll be fine. Aren't we gonna be in a remote area?" She asked.

"It is very remote, but that doesn't mean we're not going to encounter others. We don't even know how many people may or may not be already set up in the camp. But being remote also means other dangers such as grizzly bears and moose. They are a real threat out that way, along with other critters. Eventually we should have everything built up around us to protect us, but we don't know what we are getting into. Morgan said it was a very crude camp that was still in the process of being built. It's gonna be long hard work in harsh conditions. You have to get yourself mentally prepared for this Davia." He said, angst in his voice. He was more scared for Davia than he was for himself.

Davia sighed and leaned back against Daryl's chest taking in everything he was telling her. Now she was scared, but maybe that was a good thing. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn Daryl was scaring her on purpose so she could grasp the reality of it all.

"I'll learn whatever you want me to Daryl. I don't want you to have to worry about me…I guess I didn't fully realize what exactly we are going into, but I accept it. I'm gonna need you for a while, but I will learn to be strong like you." She told him.

"You already are strong Davia, this is just a different type of strength you are gonna need." He replied.

"I will do it for you Daryl." She told him.

"No Davia, I need you to do this for you." He told her as he got up from the bench outside and led her back into the house and up to their room to go to retire for the night.

…

Daryl was exhausted and even though they had a lot to do, Davia let him sleep. It was Sunday and the group was going to focus on gathering as many supplies as possible. The first thing that was going to be done was Tyreese, Rick, and Michonne were going to the local U-haul to rent three large moving trucks to carry their supplies. After they picked up the trucks Rick, Daryl, and Michonne were going to head to Atlanta to clear out Michonne's bank account and get her belonging. She would be staying with Daryl and Davia until they left. Will and Jacqui were venturing home to pack up their things as well, and then Will was going to work on getting a few generators and propane tanks. Morgan had informed them that since they would be in Alaska, that fuel would be one thing that was readily available to them. The Alaskan state government was planning on diverting any gas that would pass through the Alaskan pipeline into the continental US as soon as the coup took place. It was one advantage that the hearty Alaskans could hold onto for their protection.

Davia turned on the news and saw that the morning news show was going to do a live interview with Philip Blake "Up and coming presidential candidate". Immediately she ran upstairs to wake up Daryl. "Come quick, they are going to interview your stepfather on live TV."

Daryl jumped out of bed, pulling on a T-shirt as they headed down to the living room to watch the newscast. As the commercials cut back to the news program Daryl was now staring at a monster, and a beautiful face he hadn't seen in well over thirty plus years, his mother, Nora Blake. She was flanking the Governor sitting quietly to his right. Davia said "Daryl, that's your mother. She's stunning."

He found himself speechless. He was so overcome by seeing his mother for the first time in many years that he could barely hear what the Governor was saying. Davia was right about one thing, Nora was beautiful, but there was a definite sadness in her eyes that you saw if you looked close enough. Daryl might have favored his father, but he had his mother's eyes. Tonight he was going to get a chance to finally speak to the woman who left him and Merle out of desperation all those years ago, and seeing her for the first time left him a bit overwhelmed.

"Daryl are you OK? You haven't said a word." Davia asked concerned.

"Yeah I'm fine. I can't believe what I'm hearing and seeing though." He replied.

Interviewer-"Governor Blake there has been a lot of buzz about you as the top candidate in the upcoming Presidential election, how does that feel?"

"_I'm humbled by the fact that so many people have trust in me. This country has been spiraling out of control for so many years that I think people believe that I have the correct plan to get us back on track."_

_Interviewer- "And what exactly is that plan?"_

"_We have been spending money, time, and effort on so many foreign causes that we have neglected to take care of our own issues here at home. My plan is to focus on the home front and reduce the effort that we have been putting forth trying to fix other nations problems. While I sympathize with the difficulties other countries are struggling with, it doesn't make sense to help them out when we have so many struggling here."_

_Interviewer- "But don't we get support from those countries that we have aided?"_

"_We as a nation don't get the support in return that we give out. This nation needs to be cleaned up from top to bottom and sometimes that means making tough decisions. We have been operating under the status quo for so long that people have given up hope for things to become better. My plans are to make true changes by offering jobs, drug free society, and a safe place for people that just want to live a better life."_

_Interviewer- "Aren't those very idealistic views?"_

"_Yes they are, but they are also very achievable goals if you have the right people in place. I have already been going through a strong vetting process to find individuals that have the same values as I have and are willing to make the tough decisions for the betterment of all. There will be some that won't be willing to give up some of their reprobate lifestyles, but I intend on stepping up law enforcement to clean up the criminal element."_

_Interviewer- "It sounds like a beautiful Utopian society, but is it achievable?"_

"_I believe it is quite achievable. Look, I have been blessed with a beautiful family and a supportive wife and I started with nothing. I was lucky enough to have someone point me in the right direction, even after I was sure that I was destined for poverty and crime. We as a nation just need to be pointed in that right direction and to be able to feel safe in our own homes. Once we have cleaned up our mess at home then we can focus on helping others."_

_Interviewer- "I have to say, I see why people have so much faith in you and your policies. Best of luck to you Governor Blake, and thank you Mrs. Blake for taking the time to support your husband. It's been an honor."_

"Fuck, this guy sounds like a God Damn cult leader. Why can't people see through what he is saying?" Daryl said in frustration.

"Daryl I have a question, what are you going to do about your mother? Are you going to get her to come along with us?" Davia asked.

"I'm gonna try. I don't even know whether she supports him or not, but after what Michonne said about her being scared, I gotta think she wants out."

"I hope so sweetie. We'll know after tonight." She told him.

…

Soon after the news ended and Daryl was left trying to process everything he had just heard and seen, Rick and the others pulled up out in front of the house with the three "rented" moving trucks.

"Reckon we won't be getting the deposit back on these" Tyreese joked.

Daryl had everyone squeeze into his truck so he could take Tyreese back to his vehicle and then Michonne, Rick, and Daryl headed down to Atlanta to retrieve Michonne's belongings. It was only an hour drive and Daryl sat quietly as Michonne and Rick chatted up a storm. Daryl had to hold back a chuckle at how smooth Rick could operate if he was interested in someone. It was like night and day when you compared Officer Grimes to Rick Grimes. Rick had a little bit of game and Michonne didn't seem to mind, as she was quite flirtatious herself.

Michonne's condo was one of the most incredibly decorated homes Daryl had ever seen. There was a heavy Asian influence in her décor and Daryl couldn't help but notice the exquisite Katana that was perched up on the wall. After looking around he noticed she had quite the collection of ancient weapons and Asian art.

"Are you some type of Martial Arts enthusiast?" Daryl asked.

"Something like that. Let's just say I'm well trained and familiar with my weapons." She said, not really elaborating on her experience.

Rick then mused "Beauty, brains, and a bad ass…where have you been all my life?"

Daryl laughed "Real subtle Rick."

They spent an hour boxing up Michonne's belongings. Other than a few clothes, some photos, and some toiletry items the only other thing she gathered were her linens and of course, her collection of weapons, which included a handgun and some ammunition. Before they left Michonne gathered one more thing, an urn that sat on the shelf above the fireplace in her condo.

Daryl asked "Someone close?"

Michonne nodded solemnly "My son, Andre."

One thing Daryl knew for sure was there was a lot to Michonne that he didn't know about. It wasn't his business, and he would never pry, but he wondered what else about his strong stepsister he didn't know.

…

While Daryl was in Atlanta with Rick and Michonne, Davia, Beth, and Maggie had headed to Dawsonville with T-dog to purchase supplies at the Sam's Club. T-dog had a large delivery truck that they could use to fill up with the massive quantities of food staples that they needed to purchase for their camp. They purchased every available bag of flour, sugar, corn meal, rice, and salt they could manage along with industrial size cans of vegetables, fruits, and other non-perishable foods. More than one person raised an eyebrow when they noticed the mass quantities of food being procured, but if anyone asked they just said they were opening up a new restaurant in Blue Ridge. It seemed to satisfy people's curiosity. The delivery truck was almost completely filled and it took them two hours and several trips in and out of the store to load up all of the goods they had picked up.

The group then made a final trip to the Outdoor store to load up on proper clothing and camping supplies. Davia picked up several items for her and Daryl, as Beth and Maggie picked up clothing for their family as well. Beth also went out on a limb and picked up some things she though Brad could use. T-dog seemed a little out of his element, so the women helped him choose things that would be both warm and functional. The most important item that they all focused on was boots that would be warm and sturdy to handle the harsh winter. Moving to Alaska was a great undertaking, but moving to Alaska in December was down right harrowing.

By now they had the delivery truck packed to the brim with supplies and knew that Jacqui and Will had taken another of the moving trucks with them to Chattanooga to do the same. Tyreese and Sasha were driving down to assist the older couple. Hershel was in charge of procuring seeds, agricultural equipment, and livestock, as they would need to provide their own sources of protein. Hunting was also an option that they would rely on as well. Daryl and Brad were going to spend the next day acquiring hunting and fishing equipment and then they were going to Milton's office to help him pack up as many medical supplies as possible.

…

Davia finally arrived home around six that evening and invited everyone in for dinner. T-dog bowed out of the invitation stating he wanted to attend his Sunday night church service and Maggie and Beth had decided they would head back to the Greene farm to check on the progress that Hershel and Glenn were making with getting everything ready for the long journey.

Will, Jacqui, and Michonne were already there at the house going over their list of supplies. Michonne had suggested her and her mother should head to the book store the next day and try to find all of the survival books they could manage, as well as making plans to make their own trip to the outdoor store to purchase their own supply of winter clothing.

"Michonne, where's Daryl?" Davia inquired when she noticed he wasn't home.

"He and Rick were called out to a domestic call, some guy was whacked out on drugs and was attacking his family. Rick said it was important that he and Daryl keep in mind that they are still law officers and had a job to do to protect everyone as long as they could." Michonne answered.

"That's true. I miss Daryl though. I haven't seen or heard from him since this morning and I worry about him wearing himself out. When he is focused on something, nothing stops him until he drops." Davia informed Michonne.

"I have noticed a certain tenacity to him. Look, I wanna talk to you about his mother. When I spoke with her the other day, I wasn't exaggerating about her being under the influence of something. Davia, she's a miserable mess. She tried for years after she married Blake to get back in touch with her sons, but he stopped her at every chance. She believes he knew about the hardships the boys were suffering, and he didn't want any of that to taint his political chances, so he did everything in his power to prevent her from getting to them. She has something else to tell Daryl, and it could be a shock to him. She also doesn't know that Merle has passed away as well. I just want you to be prepared for the emotional toll this call could take on Daryl. I don't know Daryl that well, but I can tell he struggles with expressing his emotions."

"I will be there with him when he talks to her. I don't know what I will do exactly, but I can be there to comfort him if he needs it. Do you think we will be able to get her to come with us? And if we do…and I ask you not to repeat this to Daryl, do you think we can trust her? I mean, she could have left her husband if she really wanted too." Davia stated.

"Would you want to leave a man like Blake? He's obviously has a lot of power and influence, I mean he's about to take down the entire country…maybe she feared he would hurt her or her sons. Don't forget, that's why she left Will in the first place. She did it to protect the boys. In hindsight it probably made things worse, but she genuinely believed she was putting them in danger by staying with them." Michonne pointed out.

"I just hope that if she wants to leave that man, that we can help her do it. I know Daryl would like nothing more than to be reunited with his mother, but I don't know how the rest of the group would feel about the wife of Public enemy number one coming with us. There would have to be mistrust of her actions. Just this morning she was sitting with him in support on National television. It was the first time Daryl had actually seen her since he was two, and I could tell it effected him." Davia said.

"I guess we will know more after the call tonight. I just wanted you to know it isn't completely cut and dry and I'm worried about Daryl, and his mother too for that matter." Michonne stated.

"All I know is that no matter what happens, I will be there for him. Michonne, I love him with ever fiber of my being. If I have to have strength for both of us to get us through this, then Damnit I will."

…

Rick and Daryl were answering a frantic call from Molly Lang regarding her husband Rodney. Rodney had gone to school with Daryl and was notorious for his drinking and drug use. He had spent a lot of time running around with Merle instead of working a job to take care of Molly and their three kids. Molly was once a cute girl, but Rodney's drug use had taken a toll on her looks. These days she looked worn out, battered, and like she had given up any hope of happiness. That being said she was a good and caring mother and her call stated that she was panicked for her children.

Neither man was prepared for what they saw when they arrived at the Lang's dilapidated trailer. Rodney had turned cannibal and was in the process of chewing on the face of his oldest son Anthony, who couldn't have been any older than eight years old. It was evident upon arrival that they boy was dead and Molly was screaming that Rodney had already bitten their middle child Bryan. The boy was crying and holding onto his arm that now possessed obvious bite wounds.

Rick yelled at Rodney to stop or he would be shot, but Rodney completely ignored the man and continued to gnaw on his son's body. Rick yelled again at Rodney as he raised his gun and at that point Rodney looked at the men and let out what sounded like a growl. His skin was grayish and his eyes had turned a strange color of yellow. If they didn't know better both men would have sworn Rodney was already dead. As Rick approached, Rodney stood up and began to lunge at the man, and Rick then fired his Colt Python and hit Rodney dead between the eyes, dropping the man instantly. Chaos then ensued.

Molly ran over to her oldest boy and dropped to her knees and began to vomit as she saw the corpse of her son. Daryl immediately ran to her aid and pulled her away from the bloody mangled mess that lie on the ground. He himself had to fight back bile that began to rise in the back of his throat as he saw just how savagely the child had been killed.

Rick had radioed for an ambulance and the coroner to come out to the scene. Though they only had a few days left in their beloved town of Blue Ridge, it would appear that Rick and Daryl would still be loyal as law enforcement officers until the very end.

Daryl brought Molly and her two younger children into the house to get them away from the carnage that lay on the front lawn. Molly was inconsolable and the middle child Bryan, who told Daryl he was six years old, began his best to relay what had happened. Apparently Rodney had come home drunk and raising hell and had gone out to his back shed. Bryan didn't say much about the details other than "daddy had to take his shots" so Daryl assumed Rodney had gone and shot up some type of drug, unless he was diabetic, which was doubtful. After that Rodney came into the house "looking funny and growling like a dog" and chased after Anthony, who was the first person he came upon. Anthony tried to escape from his father, but Rodney over took the smaller child and began to "bite his face." Bryan then stated that He and his mother tried to pull Rodney away from Anthony and in the fight Rodney bit his middle son's arm. "It hurt, but I'm strong and had to protect my momma." He said bravely. It was at that point that Molly dragged Bryan back in the house and called the law.

After Daryl interviewed the boy the EMT's arrived and suggested that they take the family to the hospital to be checked out as a precaution. Molly agreed and the family loaded up into the ambulance. The Coroner arrived shortly thereafter and did a thorough investigation of the crime scene.

Daryl looked at Rick "Have you ever seen any shit like this?"

"I can't say that I have. I hated to have to put down Rodney like that, but he wasn't himself and he was a danger to everyone." Rick said.

"You did the right thing. Man it's hard seeing a kid killed, especially like that. How do you get over seeing something like that?" Daryl asked.

"You don't really ever get over it, and I have to admit this is one of the most gruesome things I have ever seen. You just have to file it away in the back of your mind and not dwell on it. Are you OK?" Rick asked concerned.

"I'll make it. I've been through some tough things in my life, and there were times I though my Pa was gonna kill me, but it never got to this point. This is some sick shit." Daryl stated.

The Coroner had examined the bodies and then had taken a look around the property, including the shed that Bryan had mentioned Rodney had been in shooting up. "I know it isn't possible, but all signs point to the fact that Rodney was dead before the attack happened. There is evidence of a drug overdose in the shed and the blood around the wound where Rick shot him isn't coagulated properly. It is one of the oddest things I have ever seen." The man commented.

"No, he was definitely alive when I shot him. I will admit he was in rough condition, but Daryl and I can attest to the fact that he was moving and viciously attacking his son when we arrived. He even responded when I called out to him." Rick told the coroner emphatically.

"I'm not doubting you Rick, it just doesn't make sense. It may take me a little bit of time to release my findings on this, I want to run some more tests."

"See if you can find out what drugs he was taking, maybe there is a bad batch out on the streets. I've heard about crazy things happening with kids trying out bath salts, maybe this is one of those new designer drugs that has adverse side effects." Rick insisted.

"Will do." The coroner replied before they loaded up the bodies into the van and headed back towards the morgue.

…

It was nearly eleven when Daryl arrived home. The events of the evening had left him emotionally spent, and he knew he still had a phone call scheduled with his mother at two in the morning. Truth be told all Daryl wanted to do was go to bed and hold Davia in his arms. She was his comfort and his rock, and right now he needed both. The images of the dead child were burned deeply into his mind and he wanted nothing more than to do what Rick had said and push those memories away.

Daryl walked into the house and found everyone sitting in the family room waiting for the news to begin. Davia took one look at Daryl and knew something wasn't right with him. She also noticed he had blood on his shirt and was immediately alarmed. They made eye contact and she motioned for him to meet her upstairs so they could talk in private. She got up from the chair she was sitting in but before she managed to fully get up the news headline caught all of their attention.

Breaking News-

"_A strange and unexplained outbreak of Cannibalism has occurred throughout Europe and is believed to be spreading world wide, including reports of attacks in Asia, Africa, and South America. The outbreak is believed to be linked to some unknown designer drug that leaves the victims in a heightened violent state before they succumb to death. So far there have been no survivors of the attacks and no attackers have survived as well. Also, there have been no reports of the attacks in the United States and we will keep you posted on what we find. If you are faced with someone acting strangely or violently, please contact your local law enforcement immediately."_

Daryl let out an audible groan "Fuck me. We just dealt with something like this tonight."

Will replied "What do you mean Daryl?"

"I mean Rodney Lang got fucked up on some type of drug and attacked and killed his oldest boy. Ripped the kid to shreds and was eating the kid when we arrived. Sickest shit I've ever seen." Daryl said.

Davia now knew why Daryl looked so distraught. She couldn't imagine how seeing such a sight would effect someone mentally. She wanted to rush to him and take him into her arms and just love away the mental pain, but she knew he wouldn't want that in front of everyone else in the room.

Michonne then spoke "So what does that mean? Does it mean its here now too? I find it strange that this outbreak is taking place now, just before Blake is about to make his move to take over the government. Do you think he is behind it?"

"I hadn't thought about it, but he could be. But I don't see how it could make a difference. Percentage wise there aren't that many people whom would be messing with drugs like this, so it couldn't really be much of a threat. We'll just have to see if any more happens over the next day or two." Daryl said, wondering about the possibilities of what all this means.

Daryl headed upstairs with Davia following behind him. They entered the bedroom and Davia immediately made her way to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"You may wanna hold off on that until I take a shower. I'm covered in blood from Rodney and his son." Daryl told her.

"I don't care. I'm just glad you are home. Daryl I am so sorry you had to witness all of that tonight. Do you wanna talk about it?" She asked.

"Not at the moment…I can't. I ain't ever seen a kid dead like that. I reckon nothing can prepare you for witnessing something like it. I feel bad for Molly too, she already has been holding on by a thread, now she's alone with two kids to raise…and I'm sure as disturbing as it is for me, it's gotta be devastating for her." Daryl told Davia.

"Take a shower Daryl and then I will give you a back rub. You need to relax before your phone call tonight." Davia told him.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Daryl told her.

Daryl took a shower, and maybe he was under the hot water a little more than usual, but he wanted to wash all the blood and the memories of that night away. Daryl had always considered himself tough…not afraid of anything, but seeing a dead child wasn't anything he thought he would ever have to deal with. He and Davia would be parents themselves in a few months, and whether he admitted it out loud or not, he already loved his baby girl. Yeah, it wasn't his biologically, but it was as close as he could get. It was the last thing he could do for his deceased brother, and he was glad to have this chance. But what if something happened to her? Daryl didn't know what he would do if he had to witness what Molly had to witness tonight with her own son. The thought terrified him and once again he found himself trying to push down the dark memories.

As he stepped out of the shower, Davia met him with a towel. "I know it's bothering you Daryl, and it's OK if you want to talk about it. I would be more worried if it didn't bother you." She said.

"The whole thing is bothering me. The fact I gotta leave this house just for a chance to survive in a frozen hell doesn't bode well with me. Then the fact that we can't even have a proper wedding, and that you ain't gonna get to play that piano I wanted to hear you play. Also the fact that our daughter is gonna probably be born in a shotgun shack in the Alaskan tundra, and that her fucking drug addled momma is gonna be living in the same area as us…Fuck yeah, it all bothers me. It ain't fair and there ain't a God Damn thing I can do about it." Daryl said as he slumped down on the bed wrapped in the towel that Davia had brought him.

"Daryl look at me" she said as she took his face into her hands "I love you and we are gonna get through this. As long as I'm with you and you are with me nothing else matters. We can take thirty minutes on Wednesday after everything is said and done and go to the magistrate's office and get married. That's fine with me. Hell, even if we can't, we can still be husband and wife. After all that is coming in the very near future I don't need a piece of paper to tell me I'm yours legally. I'm yours now, heart, body, and soul Daryl Dixon. In my mind I am already Davia Dixon." She told him sincerely as she wrapped her arms around him and gave him a kiss on his forehead.

Daryl sat their quietly soaking up everything she had just told him. "You know what Davia…what you just said, you're right. Just having you with me and loving me is enough. I just feel like I wanna give you so much more. I could give you everything and I feel like it doesn't hold a candle to what you have given me. You've given me my life back and made me realize I can be something better than I thought I could. I never thought I could feel this way about anyone, or even myself, but you proved me wrong." He said as he scooped her into his lap and cradled her like a child in his arms.

"Daryl I'm gonna squish you if you hold me like this." She said, feeling nervous with all of her weight now in his lap.

"Shhh…you ain't gonna squish me. You feel good in my arms and I wish you knew how beautiful you are. I love your curves Davia…you're a real woman and I love every bit of ya." He said giving her a soft kiss on her nose.

Davia relaxed as Daryl held her, and though not wanting too, he gently released her from his arms so he could get up and put on some clothes. "I'm gonna go outside and grab a smoke, maybe have a beer, and then get ready for the call with my mom. Would you mind sitting with me when I talk to her? I could use your support." He told her.

"I plan on it Daryl. You don't have to handle this alone. No matter what, I support you in what you decide to do. Hopefully she will decide to go with us and we can make plans to meet her somewhere along the way." Davia said, truly meaning it. Daryl could use all the family support he could muster, and having his mother would be a great addition to his life…as long as she didn't have any ulterior motives.

…

Two in the morning seemed like an eternity to Daryl. He had waited for this phone call for thirty-four years. After spending the past hour out on the back patio chain smoking and nursing a beer, his anxiety was getting the best of him. As the hour approached he went into the house where Davia and Michonne were waiting on him. Like clockwork, Michonne's phone rang at exactly two AM. Davia looked at Daryl and nodded and Michonne spoke gently "Let me answer, and then I will hand you the phone."

"Nora, good to hear from you. Daryl is here with me and he would like to speak with you if you are willing." Michonne said calmly.

"My son…yes please, let me speak with him." She said, fighting back tears.

Michonne handed him the phone "I'll be out in the living room watching a late night movie, if you need me let me know." She said as she excused herself from the room.

Daryl took a deep breath and then picked up the phone "Momma" he said in an almost child like voice. Davia took his free hand and he gripped her hand tightly as he fought a lifetime of emotions.

"My sweet son. My little boy is now a man. Oh baby boy, I have missed you so much." She said sobbing now on the other line.

"I know momma, and I know you did what you thought was best…are you OK to talk right now?" He asked. He had noticed that her voice did sound slightly slurred, and assumed she was most likely drinking or was under the influence of some type of opiate.

"Baby I left because I thought he was going to kill us all. I knew he was angry with me and I feared he was going to take it out on you. Daryl that man was the Devil, but he is nothing compared to the monster I'm married to now. Honey you need to listen to me, you need to get yourself out of this country…very soon. He's going to do horrific things to America, all to meet his personal agenda. I've tried to leave him many times, but he won't let me, and every time I try he just brings me back." She told Daryl, fear evident in her voice.

"We know all about it momma and we are leaving in a couple of days. If you wanna leave, I will do everything in my power to get you out safely and take you with us." He said.

"Us? Daryl is Merle with you? Oh please, let me speak to him. I owe him a huge apology for everything that was dumped on him when I left." She said.

"Momma, I don't have an easy way of telling you this, but Merle passed away a few months ago. I am so sorry to have to be the one to tell you." He said, fighting back a few tears of his own. Davia could see how strong he was trying to be for his mother, and she began to stroke his hand so she could offer him some comfort.

"My Merle…I didn't know Daryl. How did it happen?" She asked through her heartbroken tears.

"It don't matter Momma…he went the way he wanted too. I'm here with my fiancée Davia. She is the most beautiful and kind woman I have ever met. We're getting married this week before we leave. I'm serious about getting you out of this mess. We've got a group leaving here Thursday and going to a safe place. Do you think you could get away and meet us?" Daryl asked softly.

"If it was just me Daryl I wouldn't have concerns, but you have a fourteen year old brother that I have to get out safely too. His name is Benton and his father would never let him go without a fight. If we leave, we're gonna need help. I know someone who could help me, but timing is everything. I will talk to him about what our options are, but I don't want to endanger you or your fiancée. It might be safer for me to just stay behind." She said almost confused by what just came out of her mouth.

"Is that what you want? If you don't want to be there then I told you that I would get you out. Is this other person who can help you someone you can trust? Blake can be very influential and I think you know he would stop at nothing to get someone to turn on you. Momma I love you and I want to help you, but I can't risk the rest of our group." He told her, thinking about Davia and the others. He would do anything he could to help his mother, but not at the cost of the others safety.

"Daryl…I know I can trust him. If Philip knew what was going on between us he would have both of us killed. This man, he has helped me with my "struggles". I've made a lot of mistakes Daryl, and I have my issues, but I swear if I can get Benton and myself away from here I will clean myself up and help out. This life is hell." Nora said in earnest.

"Then we will talk again tomorrow and I will get you the details. Momma I love you and I miss you, but I swear if you do anything to risk the rest of us I will not hesitate to leave you behind. Can I trust you?" He said sternly. It was tough love, but there was too much to lose if she was being used by Blake to get to them.

"I promise you Daryl…on yours and Merle's life. I have to get out of here. You don't even have to tell me where we are going, just meet me at a location and I won't ask any questions. I'm desperate to see you Daryl, and I know your brother would love to meet you. I would have told him about you, but I don't really know anything about you. Michonne mentioned you were a law officer."

"I am a Sheriff's deputy, but this has been a new career for me. I was an electrician for many years prior. A lot has changed for me in the past year. There's something else I need to tell you…Michonne is my stepsister. Will is married to her mother."

"He remarried? Have you had much contact with him?" She asked curiously.

"He and I re-connected after Merle's death. He isn't the same anymore. He's a devout man of God, and Jacqui is good for him. I know you don't want to really hear about him, but I will let you know he is going with us. Are you gonna be OK with that?" Daryl asked, holding his breath waiting for her response.

"Daryl, if you are OK with it, then I am too. I know the things he was capable of in the past, and I witnessed some of what he had done, but if you trust him, then that is all that matters. Daryl are you happy?" She asked softly.

"Thing's ain't perfect, and your husband has fucked up all of my future plans, but I am happy. Davia has played a big part in that. If I know you are safe, that will help. I hope we get a chance to know each other. I haven't always been a good person, and God knows Merle made his share of mistakes, but I know for a fact he loved and cared for you in the end. He told me in his last dying wish to find you…and that's what I've done. I guess I need to let you know you have a granddaughter coming in a few months." He informed her.

"Are you and Davia expecting? Oh Daryl…what about what is going on?" She said both joyous and concerned.

"It's too complicated to get into over the phone. Look; don't mention to the boy that we had this conversation. He might accidentally let it slip to his father. Can you contact me tomorrow at the same time and we can sync up plans? Should I speak with this man you are with?" Daryl asked.

"I will be with him tomorrow evening and I will call you. Do you have a direct number?" She asked.

Daryl gave her his direct cell number and then she finally said her good-byes "Daryl, I love you so much. I promise I will make up all the hurt and pain I caused you. We will see each other soon my son." She said, once again in tears.

"I know we will momma. I love you too…and I can't wait for you to meet my Davia." He said. Daryl hung up the phone and let his head drop. He released all his pent up emotions and began to cry softly. Davia wrapped her arms around him and just held him. They sat in the dining room like that for nearly an hour before she finally let him go and they made their way up to their room to retire for the night. Had Daryl not had Davia that day, he wasn't sure what he would have done.

He just prayed that his mother truly meant everything she said, or else he had just made the biggest mistake of his life and endangered all the people he held dear to his hear. If that was the case, Daryl was sure he wouldn't make it another day.

**Well Good Lord, it took me forever to update this, and I apologize immensely. Work has been overwhelming, and it just leaves me exhausted and un-creative at night. **

**So we are now headed down a completely different path in this story, and I want to thank SillyGabby for helping me out with some ideas. She is such a sweetie pie when it comes to letting me bounce things off of her. Love ya babe!**

**Sooo...Please let me know what you think. Ironically, I wrote the part about Michonne having her Katana on her wall BEFORE last night's episode...just seemed like a logical place to keep it.**

**The season Finale will be here before we know it, and I'm terrified for Mr. Dixon. **

**Hope y'all enjoy this and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave a review...it helps to keep me going and stay enthusiastic in my writing. Let me know what you like or don't like as well.**

**Take care-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	25. Chapter 25

Daryl hardly slept at all. Between the emotional phone call with his mother, and the images of little Anthony Lang in his mind, he couldn't relax enough to fall into a deep sleep. Currently Davia was snuggled into his body, with her head on his bare chest. He was doing his best to try to push all of his emotions down, just as Rick had told him he needed too do. To be honest, it was normally something that came pretty easily to Daryl, but since he had met Davia and let her into his life, he was finding it harder and harder to control his emotions.

Daryl gave up on getting any decent sleep and decided to get up and get his day going. Davia was going to spend the day over at the Greene's farm helping them get everything in order, and Daryl and Rick were going to help Milton get his clinic packed up. After that the two men were going to go to the Liquor store and stock up on as much liquor as possible. It seemed like an odd thing to purchase in such perilous times, but Morgan said they would need things to barter with once they were in Alaska, and liquor held a high value in the frozen tundra. The only other things that held more value were food, and weapons. At this point, the group was far from ready to trade weapons that would be needed for survival.

As Daryl was riding with Rick he decided to broach the subject of his mother. "Rick, I talked with my mother last night and she wants to come with us. I found out I've also got a fourteen year old brother too, and she wants to get away from Blake."

Rick stared stoically ahead "I don't know Daryl, it's a pretty big risk. Nothing against your mom, but we don't know if we can trust her. We can't risk the rest of the group's safety."

"I understand, but she doesn't know where we're going, and she is willing to meet us on the way. She might even have some good intelligence on Blake. She's got a partner that she says would help her. Rick she's desperate, and she's my mother. What would you do if it was you?" Daryl asked.

"I'm not sure Daryl. Look, we'll give her a meeting place on the way. It will need to be away from our main route, just in case it's a set-up or she is being followed. Once we are sure everything is safe, then we will take her with us. It's the best I can do." Rick told him.

"That will work. The last thing I want to do is endanger Davia, or anyone else for that matter. I know folks might have a hard time trusting her, but my gut is telling me she ain't lying." Daryl said emphatically.

"Why don't we go to the liquor store first, and then as soon as we get done with Milton we can go check on Molly Lang and the kids, and then we can go back to your place and scope out a good meeting place. Will that work?" Rick said.

"Works fine." Daryl said as he bit on his thumbnail, chewing at it nervously.

….

Rick and Daryl met Milton at his clinic and were surprised to find Andrea there as well. Milton had done a very neat and organized job of packing up all of his medical supplies. Daryl couldn't imagine anyone being as precise as Milton was, but then again, Milton was very different than anyone else he had ever met.

"I am bringing my laboratory equipment so that I can run tests if needed. Just because we are going to be in a wasteland doesn't mean that we can't still attempt to have decent medical care."

"Uh huh." Daryl said as he took the box from Milton.

"Please Mr. Dixon, allow me to carry this equipment and secure it in my vehicle. Andrea and I purchased a Hummer for our trip and I have mapped out precisely just how everything should be packed. I can't risk someone like yourself damaging my equipment." He said in a matter of fact term.

"What do ya mean 'someone like me'? Daryl said in an offended tone.

"I meant someone of a non-medical background. I know specifically how to handle all of this equipment. No offense intended. You can help by taking those boxes of medicine out to the vehicle. Andrea can assist you in where to put them."

Daryl grunted and Rick chuckled as they took the boxes out to Milton's black Hummer. "It's gonna be interesting living with him ain't it?" Daryl asked Rick.

"He's just…different. I'm more interested in how he and Andrea managed to get together. She's definitely not who I would have expected to see him with." Rick stated.

Andrea overheard the conversation "And just exactly who would you see me with Sheriff Grimes." She challenged, smiling slyly.

Daryl interjected "Y'all are just two different people. I would think someone like you would scare him to death."

"Just like people would think someone like you would scare someone like Davia to death?" She quipped back at Daryl.

"Alright ya made your point. You just keep him in line." Daryl said as he headed back in and to get another box.

It took them about two hours to completely pack up Milton's medical supplies. The good news was he had plenty to take with them. In fact, they needed Rick's SUV to load up all of the bandages, suture kits, and other various supplies. Plus Milton had managed to procure plenty of antibiotics, pain meds, blood pressure medication, and few various other meds that Daryl had no idea what they did. This was a major asset for them and would be guarded like gold.

As they were leaving Milton stopped them "I heard that there was an incident last night at the Lang home. Did they decide to transport the bodies to Atlanta instead of the hospital here in Fannin County?"

Rick gave Milton a slightly confused look "No, why do you ask that?"

"Normally I work closely with the County Coroner and he never made it to the morgue last night, so I assumed they transported the bodies to Atlanta."

Daryl looked at Rick and questioned him "You don't think they would have changed their mind do ya? He stated he was headed straight to the morgue. Do you think there was some kind of accident or something?"

"Thanks Milton for the information, there were some interesting circumstances with the incident last night, but I didn't think they changed plans. Daryl and I will look into it and let ya know." Rick assured him.

Both men left quickly after their conversation with Milton and headed towards the Lang's place. Daryl suggested they backtrack from the hospital to see if maybe they could find some sort of sign of the missing coroner, and as they got closer to the Lang's trailer, Daryl spotted tire tracks that left off the highway and headed down a steep embankment.

"Pull over" Daryl commanded.

Rick did as Daryl asked and before the vehicle came to a complete stop Daryl jumped out of the passenger door and was headed towards the tire tracks he had spotted. It didn't take him very long to spot the Coroner's van down at the bottom of the hill about forty feet below. Immediately Daryl began to climb down the hill towards the wreckage, Rick following behind once he parked the vehicle.

As Daryl approached the vehicle he heard movement and moaning inside and that let him know someone was alive inside. Rick's SUV was equipped with a winch that they could use to pull the van back up the hill. "Rick, Get the winch and we can pull this back up to the road. Someone is moving around inside and I'm gonna check on them first." Daryl yelled.

Daryl assessed the wreck and could tell that the front portion of the van was damaged enough that he wouldn't be able to get the front doors open, so he opted to go in through the back. He hoisted himself up on the back bumper and yanked the back doors open, suddenly met with the overwhelming smell of death. It almost made him gag, but before he had a chance he was attacked by one of the occupants of the vehicle. The snarling corpse of the county coroner quickly lurched out at Daryl with its jaws snapping just inches from Daryl's cheek.

Daryl fought to keep the creature from taking a bite out of him and somehow managed to hold off the man with his left hand while he reached into his holster with is right hand and pulled out his service revolver. He didn't hesitate in pulling the trigger, shooting the Coroner at point blank range directly into the temple. The putrid smelling corpse dropped down on Daryl, but the sound of the gunshot now drew the undead bodies of Anthony Lang and the Coroner's assistant out of the back of the van.

Fortunately for Daryl, the sound of the gunshot also alerted Rick who quickly responded. Seeing the scene unfolding in front of him he then fired two quick shots from his Colt Python and dropped the two undead who were attempting to make a meal out of Daryl. Rick scrambled down the hill to assist Daryl and pulled the corpse of the Coroner off of Daryl.

"What the fuck just happened?" Daryl said, now covered in foul smelling black blood.

"I haven't got a clue. I'm gonna give Milton a call and have him come out here and check it out. You need to go take off your shirt and clean up. There's some water in the back seat. I don't want you to get contaminated. Do you have any scratches or bites?" Rick asked.

"Naw, I'm good. You got an extra shirt?" Daryl asked. The last thing he wanted was to be shirtless in front of Rick or with others around. His scars were his past, and he didn't want to share that with anyone.

"Check the back as well, there might be a T-shirt back there you could put on." Rick told him.

Daryl was relieved to find an old but clean shirt in the back of Rick's vehicle. He took off his blood soaked shirt and found and pulled out a rag he carried in his back pocket and saturated it with water. He wiped off the blood and filth and was relieved to find he hadn't been scratched. Not really knowing what they were dealing with he didn't want risk exposure to whatever it was that was killing people and bringing them back from the dead. He knew that without a doubt that Anthony Lang had been dead when they loaded him into the coroner's van and he also knew without a doubt what he had just seen. The child was up and moving around, snarling like his father had the night before. It also caused Daryl to remember that the Coroner had stated he thought Rodney Lang was already dead before he left the shed. Maybe he was correct. But what the hell could cause the dead to rise again?

"Rick, Rick, we gotta get to the Lang's right now." Daryl suddenly shouted.

"What's going on Daryl? Is there a call on the radio?" Rick said as he made his way up the hill.

"Tell Milton to come out here and check out the scene and that we will meet him back over here. The son, Bryan, he had been bit by Rodney…what if he is turning into one of these undead creatures? Molly and the baby wouldn't be safe." Daryl said, panic filling his voice.

Rick didn't even respond before he jumped into the vehicle and had them heading down the highway towards the Lang's place at over ninety miles an hour. Unfortunately, Daryl's worst fears had come true and chaos had ensued everywhere. When they arrived at the trailer park, Bryan's undead corpse was feeding on the baby, and now Molly's undead corpse was attacking the neighbors. Rick and Daryl counted at least five other dead walking and attacking, and knew they were too late.

Rick started shouting at anyone and everyone "Get in your house and lock your doors immediately. Avoid anyone acting strangely and protect your children."

He and Daryl began running door to door relaying the same message over and over, fighting off any attackers as they approached. By the time they had made it to the back portion of the trailer park both men were low on ammunition and the creatures were still following after them, the group growing larger.

Apparently not everyone listened to Rick and Daryl's warning and several people refused to stay inside. One older man came outside with his shotgun and began to shoot at the undead, and even though his bullets hit the creature in the torso, the shots didn't seem to slow them down. In fact, the sound of the shotgun caused the gathering crowd to turn their attention away from Daryl and Rick and towards the older man with the shotgun.

"In the head, you have to shoot them in the head." Daryl yelled in vain as the group overtook the man. The monsters ripped into the man and blood began to spurt everywhere as the undead devoured the man. Sadly, as his wife heard his dying screams she came outside in an attempt to save him and was taken down almost immediately. Neither Rick nor Daryl could believe the horrific scene unfolding in front of their eyes.

"Daryl we gotta go…NOW!" Rick shouted as the two men sprinted back to the SUV. Fortunately for them the victims offered a distraction that allowed Rick and Daryl a clear path to their vehicle. Rick threw the car into drive and he and Daryl headed back to Blue Ridge.

Suddenly the police radio crackled to life with reports of attacks all over town. Two separate neighborhoods now were reporting attacks from "undead persons" and Daryl remembered the news broadcast from the previous night.

"Rick, last night on the news they said they were having a similar outbreak in Europe but no reports of anything happening here had occurred. I'm guessing that has changed. They had linked it to drug usage, but I don't think that's the case. I ain't sure what is causing this, but we gotta get the hell out of Blue Ridge today, and soon. We need to contact everyone, and let 'em know. Shit, I don't even know if Davia is OK." Daryl said, suddenly picking up his phone to give her a call.

…

Davia had left early that morning to head to the Greene farm. Hershel and Glenn had spent the previous day gathering everything they were going to need to transport livestock in the hauler that Hershel owned. They were bringing a few hogs, a couple of dairy cows, a dozen laying hens and a rooster, and a couple of goats. On top of that he was bringing a supply of feed to get the animals through the winter. The remaining animals that they were leaving behind he had decided to just let loose. They would be able to survive on their own, or if someone else could use them, they would be available.

Beth, Maggie, and Davia were loading up the back of Hershel's truck with canning supplies, cases of canned goods that Annette had put up before she passed away, and bedding. Glenn and Hershel had headed to town to the Feed and Seed store to pick up various gardening supplies, including several cases of seeds that they could plant to grow vegetables. Hershel had researched the Kenai Peninsula where they would be residing and learned that there was a short growing season of only a hundred days, but the extended daylight that occurred in that part of the world allowed plants to flourish. There had even been discussion of possibly building a solar powered greenhouse that they could use in the future. Davia was impressed with everyone's vast array of knowledge on different topics that they would need to survive in the Alaskan wilderness.

As Beth was taking the last crate of canned goods out to her Daddy's vehicle Davia noticed something covered with an old quilt. "What's this Maggie?" She said as she moved the quilt away.

"I almost forgot about this. It's an old pedal operated sewing machine. You know we might be able to use this. It was my Grandmother's and it was top of the line for the time. She made all of my granddaddy's work clothes, as well as all of her dresses. There might even be some old bolts of fabric around here. We'll need sturdy clothes in the future, and the clothes we are taking aren't gonna last forever. I even think there is an old sewing box around here as well that has the thread and needles in it would need." Maggie replied.

After Beth returned from the truck the girls all decided they would squeeze the sewing items into the vehicle and take it with them. Life would be so different now, and they would only have themselves to rely on. No more trips to the mall or Wal-Mart. This would be survival, and luxuries would be few and far between.

Beth finally spoke "I'm riding with Brad to Alaska. He doesn't know it yet, but he needs a companion to keep him company. It's over four thousand miles."

"We most likely aren't going to have cell service much longer. Blake is planning on cutting off all utilities and use restoration of them as a bargaining chip. It's actually a pretty smart idea." Davia told the sisters.

"This whole thing is totally fucked up. How can someone be so evil and maniacal?" Maggie said.

"Greed, power, and being a psychopath is a dangerous combination. Don't forget y'all, he's Daryl's stepfather." Davia said, suddenly realizing that she had just revealed something that only a few people knew.

"What? Daryl's mother is still alive…and she is married to that asshole?" Maggie said angrily.

Shit. "I'm sorry y'all, I wasn't supposed to say anything. Forget I mentioned it." Davia said, almost begging them to drop the subject.

"How are we supposed to forget that Davia? How do we know Daryl isn't going to lead us to them? I mean Daryl seems like a good guy, but I don't…"

"Maggie shut the hell up!" Beth screamed at her older sister. "Daryl wouldn't do anything to jeopardize any of us. How dare you even suggest that? Just keep your fucking mouth shut and let Daryl worry about it. For once keep your nose out of someone else's business."

"Hey both of you hush. I didn't mean to reveal any of that, but I know what is going on. The guy has basically held Nora as prisoner for the past two decades. She has a son that he uses as a bargaining chip against her, and every time she has tried to leave him, he stops her. She hates the asshole but is trapped. Daryl would NEVER put any of us in danger, even if it meant his mother would suffer in return. You have no idea how much pain he is in dealing with all of this. So please don't worry about Daryl turning on any of us. I love that man with everything I have and I know his heart, and it is nothing but good." Davia said adamantly.

"I'm sorry y'all, but the stress of everything that is happening is turning me into an untrusting idiot. I didn't mean to judge Daryl, and you are right, he wouldn't do anything to allow any of us to get hurt. I won't say anything to anyone, not even Glenn." Maggie said, realizing Beth and Davia were right.

Davia opted not to tell them about their plans to rendezvous with Nora on the way. Right now she was more focused on damage control after divulging Daryl's relationship with Blake.

"Davia, what about you and Daryl getting married…maybe once we get to Alaska we could have a ceremony and Daddy could preside over it. Paperwork won't really matter anymore." Beth said.

"We'll see. But as far as Daryl and I are concerned, we are already married. I'm going to start calling myself Davia Dixon. To be honest, I am glad to drop 'Longstreet' as my last name anyhow. Nothing good ever came out of that family or that name. I finally found happiness when I found Daryl, and I am proud to call myself a Dixon." She told the sisters.

"Good for you…that's the way it should be." Maggie said.

Davia's cell phone rang and she saw that it was Daryl. "Hey sweetie." She said.

Daryl was frantic on the other line. "Davia, are you OK? Where are you at?"

"I'm still at the Greene's getting everything ready to go. Glenn and Hershel are in town getting the last of the supplies and then I'm heading home."

"Stay there and don't come out of the house. Lock the doors and I will come get you. We're gonna have to head out today. I can't get into it over the phone, but the outbreak they were talking about on the news last night has made its way here, and it is no joke. If there are any weapons grab them and protect yourself. See if you can find anything on the news about what is going on, and please promise me you won't go outside until I get there. Let the girls know too." He told her.

"OK Daryl, you're scaring me though. Are you alright?" She asked.

"I am for right now. Just do as I say we've got to contact everyone. Call my dad and let him know to have everything ready at the house and tell him to turn on the news as well." Daryl told her.

"I will. How long before you get here?" She asked.

"Probably about a half hour. Hopefully Glenn and Hershel will return safely. If they get there before we do, relay the information to them. I love you Davia." Daryl said.

"I love you too…please take care of yourself Daryl."

"See ya in a bit." He said as he hung up the phone.

Beth and Maggie were both looking at Davia "Daryl said there has been an outbreak of something in the area. Last night on the news they talked about it only being in Europe. Whatever it is, it turns people into cannibals and you die after they attack you. I'm not sure about all the details, but Daryl sounded very concerned and told us to lock up the house, get weapons, and see if we can find anything out on the news."

"I know where the guns are." Maggie said as she ran up the stairs. Beth and Davia secured the windows and locked the doors and then met Maggie in the living room, where she was in the process of turning on the TV.

A frantic news reporter was covering live footage from downtown Atlanta. Mass chaos was occurring in the background as the reporter tried to remain calm.

"_**We are here at the CDC where people are trying to desperately find out answers. This outbreak which just yesterday seemed to be only in Europe has spread quickly in the United States. No one is sure what caused the outbreak, but anyone infected with the virus needs to immediately report to your closest hospital. Contact with anyone living or dead that has contracted the fever is considered dangerous and not recommended. The National Guard is trying to contain the area to prevent the disease from spreading, but it is believed that the outbreak is occurring everywhere at the same time. At this point, we don't know the death count, but the numbers are already believed to be in the thousands. This is an unprecedented event and you are asked to stay tuned for further instructions from the Civil Alert System."**_

Beth slumped down in the chair "Oh my God y'all this is real."

Maggie went to the couch where she had dropped the weapons and began picking them up. "I'm freaking out y'all. Daddy and Glenn aren't back, what if something happened to them?"

"I'm gonna call Daryl and have him go through town to check on them. He'll find them if they are out there." She told the girls.

Davia called Daryl and he agreed that he and Rick would go find them. Meanwhile, Maggie showed both girls how to load and unload the guns and Maggie and Beth did a sweep of the house looking for more weapons and ammunition while Davia kept a look out.

Much to her relief, less than twenty minutes later Rick, Daryl, Glenn, and Hershel were all pulling up in the yard. Davia ran out the door and tackled Daryl as he got out of the SUV. "I was scared to death." She admitted to him.

"That's good. I want you to be scared…this is real Davia and you can't let your guard down."

The sisters both came running out of the house and embraced their father and Glenn. Hershel then spoke, "If you've got any personal items you want to take, gather them now. We are heading over to Daryl's house and we are going to leave for Alaska today. Everyone's meeting over there in two hours and we will depart then so we can get ahead of this now." Hershel reiterated.

Daryl and Rick helped Glenn, and Hershel gather the animals and load them into the livestock hauler. While they were doing that the girls headed to the barn and let the remaining animals out so they could roam freely. It was sad in so many different ways, but it was the most humane thing to do.

Once they had the animals taken care of, Hershel locked the door and then tearfully, the Greene's left the farm for what they prayed wasn't the last time. The house had been in the family for over 150 years and letting it go was like letting a piece of their heart and heritage go.

When they arrived at the Dixon place, everyone was already in the process of arriving and making final preparations. Dale had provided everyone with CB radios and Rick was leaving to get April. She would be the last piece to the puzzle. Morgan and his family were on their way and were expected to arrive within the hour.

Daryl had sent Davia upstairs to pack up her last bit of personal things. He told her to take one box and fill it with personal items that served no purpose other than to make her happy. She packed her Ipod, a photo of her and Daryl, two bottles of perfume, some make up, some jewelry, and one single dress. She carried the items downstairs and out to Daryl's SUV.

"You forgot something." He told her as he looked up from the map he and T-dog were going over.

"No, I've got all I need." She told him.

Daryl told T-dog to wait a moment and he headed back into the house, returning a couple of minutes later with Davia's guitar and box of strings. "You need this. Girl you need your music, it's part of ya. You can sing to me in the evenings." He told her, offering her a small smile.

"Really, it's OK to take it?" She asked.

"Course it is. I reckon Brad will be bringing his guitar too. Y'all can't just give up your talent just because things are gonna be different. Wouldn't be right." He said as he placed the guitar in the back of the SUV.

…

As planned, Morgan arrived with his family and Daryl introduced everyone to the man who was their savior. Davia's initial impression of Morgan was that he was very intense, almost intimidating. She did notice though that his wife was very sweet and kind, a good balance to Morgan's intensity, and his son Duane was polite and well mannered.

Shane showed up with Lori and all the weapons that he could grab from the police station. Apparently downtown Blue Ridge was already turning into a scene of mass confusion as the outbreak was spreading quickly.

"I Grabbed all of the guns out of the Weapons cage, and I even took what I could from the evidence room as well. I also picked up plenty of ammunition so we should be covered for a while. I think as far as the roads go we should be OK until we hit the main interstates. Listening to the radio on the way over here it sounds like things are getting bad." Shane told them.

Morgan answered "We'll be fine…the route I intend on us taking is mostly secondary roads. Once we cross into Canada our biggest hindrance is going to be snowy roads. We've got a little luck on our side though because I checked and all the roads are still open and the weather should hold out for us. I do recommend we drive straight through without stopping with drivers switching up while the other one sleeps."

"Sounds like a good plan. What about fuel?" Daryl asked.

"I've got maps for everyone with some secret fuel depots marked. There have always been plans in place just in case that this type of thing happened, and there are some designated places to get fuel that are not known to the public. Once we get to the border of Canada I will take point. The borders are most likely going to be closed earlier than expected, but I've got a contact that will get us in. Once we cross we are on our own until we hit Alaska. I've got a contact there as well." Morgan told the men.

Rick and Andrea finally arrived with April in tow. Daryl was taken aback at April's appearance. Her normally bleached hair had about five inches of dark roots showing, she didn't have on any makeup, her belly was swollen with her pregnancy, and the blaze orange of her prison outfit made her look very pale. Daryl almost felt sorry for her until she opened her mouth when she saw Davia flanking Daryl. "Daryl, I see you are still with the fat chick. You could do so much better. You're brother would turn over in his grave if he knew what you were doing."

Davia snapped back "April, you need to shut your damn mouth and take a good look at yourself. Have you seen what you look like? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you look like shit."

Daryl had to hold back a laugh as he realized how much Davia had changed since he had first met her. He liked this strong and confident version of Davia. Before she was confident on stage performing, but off stage she was shy and timid, but not now. Somehow he knew his woman was going to kick ass in this new venture of their lives.

Rick addressed everyone before they headed out "Everyone monitor their CB radios on channel 2. Morgan has a map of the route we are taking with both an 'A' and 'B' route marked. When we get to North Dakota before we enter Canada, we are going to take a two hour break and Daryl and I are going to pick up a couple of more family members to go along with us." Rick told them.

Shane then spoke "What do you mean additional family members and how can we risk stopping like that, especially so close to the border?"

Rick looked to Daryl "You need to tell them now Daryl."

"My mom and brother are going to meet up with us." Daryl said, leaving out the fact that his mother was Philip Blake's wife.

Davia looked at Beth and Maggie and held her breath and prayed they didn't mention exactly who his mother was. Once everyone saw Nora, they would know, but until then it was best they didn't know. Maggie made eye contact with Davia and it confirmed she wouldn't say anything about Daryl's mother's identity.

That was until Dale spoke up "Nora's coming with us? Isn't she Philip Blake's wife?"

"BLAKE'S Wife?" Lori exclaimed. "NO, she can't come with us. We can't trust her and she could endanger us all. I have a son and baby on the way to consider. Rick, Shane, you can't allow this to happen."

Rick then spoke "She's just as desperate to get away from Blake as we are. He's kept her imprisoned for years and she finally has an opportunity to get away from the monster. She can be trusted and Daryl has already said that if he felt she couldn't be then he wouldn't allow her to go with us. Stop panicking and drawing conclusions Lori. I'm not going to let anything happen to anyone of us in this group. This is Daryl's family and she is coming with us. She may have good information on him as well…she's closer to Blake than anyone else."

Shane then spoke "If I sense she is a danger to any of us, I will not hesitate to put a bullet in her head."

Daryl bristled at Shane's comment "You stay the fuck away from her Shane. You already react like a hair pin trigger and the last thing I need is you accidentally shooting my mother or anyone else in this group."

Will interjected at this point "Nora doesn't have a malicious bone in her body. If she says she is in trouble, then she is telling the truth. She won't be a problem and I will stand with Daryl in vouching for her. She would sacrifice herself before she let anyone else get hurt."

"Fine, but I meant what I said." Shane reiterated.

"OK then, now lets get going." Rick said as he nodded to Daryl and Morgan.

…

They convoy loaded into their vehicles and began the long arduous journey to Alaska. They had eleven vehicles in total. T-dog had his delivery van, While Tyreese and Karen drove one rental truck, with Sasha and Bob in another, and Beth and Brad drove the third. Milton, Andrea, Amy, and April were loaded into Milton's Hummer. Dale had his RV (so Irma could rest and be comfortable), and Sophia and Carol road with them. Carol had agreed to take over driving responsibilities with T-dog once they made their first stop for fuel. Shane and Lori were riding in Shane's SUV, while Maggie and Glenn rode with Hershel pulling the livestock hauler. Morgan's family led the way in their vehicle, followed by Rick, Michonne, and Carl, in Rick's police issued vehicle, and Daryl and Davia in Daryl's state vehicle. Finishing out the group were Jacqui and Will who were in Will's truck.

The amount of supplies they were bringing would be more than enough to get them through the winter and could last longer if they were wise and rationed well. It was a scary new adventure in life for all of them, but it was their best chance of survival. All in all it was a strange group of people from differing backgrounds, but it was what needed to happen if they were going to make it.

As they pulled out of Daryl's driveway he and Davia took one final look at their home, a single tear slipping down Davia's cheek. "You're right Daryl, we'll be back and take what is ours. This is just a detour in our plans."

"I know it is Davia, but at least we have each other…I couldn't imagine doing this without you." He told her.

"I love you Daryl, and from now on…I'm Mrs. Dixon." She said taking his hand in hers.

**So I did a little better with the updates this week. YAY...Can't believe only two more episodes before the eternally long break until October. Hate it. **

**I am BEGGING for reviews on this chapter. I'll be your best friend if you let me know what you think. I like suggestions too...**

**So read, review, and enjoy. **

**Love Y'all-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	26. Chapter 26

Davia was starting to get pissed at Daryl. They had been driving for twenty hours straight and he still refused to let her drive. She could see the exhaustion overtaking his body and he still refused to give in and take a break. The few times they stopped he would smoke a cigarette and drink a Red Bull for energy, but she could tell he was losing the battle.

The radio crackled to life and Dale's voice soon was heard "Guys, I need to pull over, the RV is running hot and I need to check the water."

"Shit" Daryl mumbled under his breath.

"Daryl you need to calm down and you need to let me drive. I know you are focused on meeting up with your mother, but you aren't going to do anyone any good if you pass out from exhaustion. You haven't had hardly any sleep in days and it's taking its toll on you."

"I'm fine Davia." He said stubbornly.

"No, you are not fine. Look, It's still early afternoon, and you aren't going to meet your mother until two in the morning. We are making good time by taking the back roads and I think you should sleep. I promise I will wake you up if anything happens, but I don't want to see you keel over Daryl." Davia said begging.

"Damnit Davia, I said I was fine so stop harping on me." Daryl said angrily.

Daryl pulled the SUV over and got out quickly to see if he could help Dale get the RV back on the road. As he opened the door he was met with the most frigid air he had ever encountered in his life and the reality of where they were going hit him like a ton of bricks. Davia got out after him, pulling on her new winter coat and gloves and pulled Daryl's new coat out of the back of the vehicle. She handed it to him, but he refused to accept it.

Fortunately for Davia, Rick caught what was going on between the couple and took the opportunity to intervene. "Daryl can I speak to you for a second?" Rick beckoned.

"What's up?" Daryl grunted out.

"Have you seen yourself Daryl? You look like shit. When was the last time you got any rest? I've noticed you haven't switched up with Davia and if you fall asleep at the wheel you risk killing you both. I want you take a break. I know you have a lot on your mind regarding your mom and I get that, but you are not doing anyone any favors by pushing yourself like this. Sleep for a few hours." Rick said.

"I said I was fine and I wish people would get the fuck off my back. Davia ain't been driving that long and if we come up on a group of those Walker things, I don't want to risk her panicking." Daryl said.

"She'll be fine Daryl. There is a good size group here to handle things and you can't handle it all by yourself. Trust her and Trust me…and then get some rest. I can't force you to do it, but I am strongly encouraging you." Rick told him.

"Fine." Daryl replied in an angry tone. He lit up a cigarette and then headed towards Dale's RV.

Shane was assisting Dale and they realized the radiator hose had a split in it. "We can do a temporary fix on it for now with some duct tape, and then we will look for something more permanent on the way. We still have a long way to go." Shane said.

**Hope you liked this chapter...I left out a lot of detail I wanted to include, but it seemed like it would get too wordy. I attempted to offer an action sequence, but it most likely sucks. I also wanted you to get a point of view from the Governor. We are by no means done with him.**

**Please Please Please leave a review...I haven't really been getting that many and that makes me think people are either not reading or not enjoying the story. So let me know how I am doing...or better yet, what you would like to see. **

**I know it's sunday and there is a new episode on tonight, so if people are watching and not reading, I understand.**

**Take care and let's all hold our breath for the season finale next week...I get nervous...**

**Happy Sunday night.**

**Love each and every one of you.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**

"I reckon it will work but I don't know for how long. These cold temperatures are really putting a stress on the hoses." Dale told him.

"Maybe when we stop tonight so Rick and Daryl can go on their suicide mission I can scout the area and see if I can find a replacement for ya." Shane said.

"We'll need something" was Dale's reply. Privately Shane was hoping that Rick and Daryl's little side trip would turn into a disaster. There was nothing he wanted more at this point than to see the two of them fail. At one point Shane and Rick were best friends, but that all ended when Shane and Lori fell in love. Well, at least Lori fell in love. Though Shane had deep feelings for Lori, he wasn't so sure he was quite ready to settle down. After all, Shane had always been quite the ladies man, and there were still quite a few ladies out there. In fact even in the group he had noticed April, Andrea, Beth, Maggie, Amy, and even Davia. Davia had been one of the few women who had turned him down in life, and that drove him nuts. Was Davia smoking hot like the other girls, no…but she was cute and she was sultry in her own way, and that was a turn on for Shane. Unfortunately, Dixon had already claimed her and she seemed set on staying loyal. Not to say that her loyalty to Daryl would last forever. One thing Shane knew was that if he ever had the chance, he would bed Davia just to satisfy his own ego.

Daryl made his way over to his vehicle as Davia had gone over to chat with Beth. As much as it pained him to admit it, he was flat out beat and knew he needed to let Davia drive so he could rest. It was daylight and they had yet to run into any type of trouble on their way as the route that Morgan had put them on avoided major cities, and for the most part, small towns too. They were currently in Minnesota and would be crossing into North Dakota within a few hours. The air was cold, and the wind was picking up and chilling Daryl to the bone. He hoped to hell he acclimated to the cold weather quickly or his existence in Alaska would be miserable.

Davia asked Brad and Beth how they were doing and Beth replied "I don't know if I've ever been this cold in my life. Thank God the heat works well in the truck. Since Brad won't let me snuggle with him it's the next best thing.

"Cool your jets sweetheart, we got a long trip ahead of us and I need to concentrate on the road." Brad replied, giving Beth a wink.

"You can't blame a girl for trying?" Beth teased back.

"Subtle Miss Greene, you're gonna wear me down one of these days and then what are you going to do?" He told her.

"Smile!" She replied. She then turned to Davia "I'm driving the next shift, have you been able to get Daryl to let you drive yet?"

"No…he's being a stubborn ass. He can barely hold his eyes open yet he refuses to let me drive…"

Both girls were then startled at the sound of Lori laughing.

"That's when I'm due too." She said. Lori and April were actually having a conversation about childbirth.

"Well I'm not gonna keep it. Daryl and Davia have already claimed the child, so I guess it will be their problem to raise." April said, anger laced in her comment.

"Is that what you want?" Lori asked.

"I don't know. At first, when I was in prison it wasn't like I had a choice, but now…" April said.

"If you want it, then you should keep it. It's not Davia or Daryl's child. Sure, Daryl will be the child's uncle, but he isn't the father, but you ARE the mother and you should be able to raise it if you choose." Lori said strongly.

"It's a lot to think about. To be honest, I would love to find some clothes besides this God awful orange jumpsuit." April replied.

"Come with me, I have things you could wear. Why don't you switch up and ride with Shane and I. The conversation is bound to be better with us compared to Milton and Andrea." Lori said.

April followed Lori to their vehicle and the two women went inside the SUV so April could change her outfit.

Beth looked at Davia "Lori hates you doesn't she? She's trying to convince a heroin dealer that she would be a better parent than you and Daryl? What the fuck is wrong with her?"

Davia sat there dumbfounded, not even able to think. This was not something she imagined could or would happen. She needed to talk to Daryl right away, but as tired as he was and as focused as he was on getting to North Dakota and meeting with his mother, she didn't want to bother him. However, this was a pretty big change of events and he needed to know.

"Beth, I gotta talk to Daryl. Do me a favor and keep your eyes and ears out for those two. Lori is conniving enough to talk April into keeping that baby and we can't let that happen. April doesn't have a clue how to care for anyone else, hell she can barely take care of herself."

"Don't you worry about a thing Ms. Davia, we won't let anything happen that isn't supposed too." Brad said as he reached out and gave Davia a comforting pat on the shoulder.

…

Davia met Daryl at the SUV and he handed her the keys "You win" was all he said to her.

They got in the vehicle and she handed him a blanket and a pillow "Get some rest and I'll wake you up in a few hours. You have to take better care of yourself Daryl. Alaska is a rough place and you can't let yourself wear down. I feel deep in my gut that everything will work out just fine with your ma." She said as she patted him on his thigh.

"Hope your right." He mumbled.

"When you wake up we need to have a conversation about April though." She warned.

"Can't wait." He said as he sunk back into the pillow and closed his eyes. Within seconds he fell asleep and Davia drove them towards their destination.

…

Governor Philip Blake arrived home around two in the afternoon flanked by his right hand man, Steve Owen. Steve was a highly trained Operative that originally served in the Special Forces before moving on to the CIA. He was cold, calculating, and loyal. He didn't fear Blake, but was respectful of the man's ideas and vision. Currently he was still an active CIA agent whom was on the same team as Morgan Jones. He was also aware that Morgan and one other agent had gone rogue and knew about the Governor's plan, but was confident that Morgan posed no threat to the take over that was about to occur.

Blake went to the liquor cabinet in his office and pulled out two high ball glasses and filled them with an expensive scotch. "Well it would appear the virus is spreading faster than expected and that works into our plan beautifully." Blake said.

"I'm still not sure how killing off ninety percent of the worlds population is a thing of beauty." Steve retorted coldly.

"Think about it Steve, we are eliminating the undesirables and the weak, and we have eliminated threats from outside enemies. When I take control in a few days there won't be any foreign entities left to stop me from taking complete power of this nation. Since we knew this was coming, we could plan accordingly; the rest of the world has no idea what hit them. Germ warfare is much under rated these days." Blake said letting out a slight laugh.

"Well hopefully we will remain protected from the virus ourselves." Steve replied.

"We've been vaccinated, and that vaccine is a card I can play later down the road. I'm the only one who has access to it, other than the scientist who created it, and I've taken care of him so he won't ever be able to divulge what he knows" the Governor told the agent.

"You kill him?" Steve asked point blank.

"No…but he is indisposed at the time, but we will have access to him if we need him."

The men were interrupted when the Governor's housekeeper Consuela knocked on the door. "Governor Blake, I would like to know what you would like me to prepare for you for dinner." She asked in her heavy accent. Consuela Martinez had come to work for the Governor about six years prior after her brother Cesar had been hired to protect Nora and the Governor's son Benton.

"Consuela have you seen Nora and Benton?" The Governor asked.

"They left about an hour ago to see the physician. Master Benton's asthma was acting up and Mrs. Blake said she needed to get a refill on her medication. I am sure they are fine sir." She said giving him a pleasant smile.

"Did you see them leave?" He asked.

"Oh yes Governor. Cesar was escorting them." She said.

"Thank you Consuela, I would love something from your home country for dinner tonight." He said.

"Gladly Governor Blake. I also wanted to offer you a heart felt thanks for all you have done for me and Cesar, and for keeping us all safe. When you win the Presidency I know you will take care of us all and you will find the cure for this virus." She said sweetly.

"Yes I will Consuela. Thank you for your support." He told her.

…

Dinnertime came and Steve and the Governor ate the delicious meal Consuela had prepared for them, but Blake was concerned about his wife and son still not having returned home. After Consuela left the living room the Governor turned to his second in command "Steve, check her phone." The Governor commanded.

Steve nodded and went up to the office to pull up the GPS tracking device that would not only show where Nora was, but where she had been. He was surprised to see that the phone was showing a location of North Dakota, and that the route had begun to track seven hours earlier.

"Sir, you might want to see this." Steve told Blake, knowing the man would be angered when he saw the information.

"North Dakota?" The Governor asked.

"It would appear so." Steve replied.

Blake got up from the table and went to his wife's room, noticing that her travel bag was gone, as well as some of her clothing. He then repeated the action in his son's room and the results were the same.

"Steve, scramble a helicopter and see if you can find them. I have to take care of some business here." The Governor commanded.

"I'm on it sir." Steve answered.

Within the hour Steve had assembled a crew and they left on the State Helicopter headed towards North Dakota. Blake went back to his office and poured himself another glass of scotch. To say he was angry was an understatement. Blake then paged his housekeeper.

"Consuela, can you come to my office."

Consuela walked in, smiling brightly. "Consuela, you know you are like family to me and I appreciate all you have done for us." He said as he got up from his desk and walked over to the woman. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"One thing I have always appreciated about you is your loyalty to the family." He continued, beginning to squeeze her shoulder a bit harder.

Consuela's smile began to fade quickly as she felt the pressure building on his grip "That being said, you should have picked your loyalties a little better than you did." He told her as he quickly grabbed her head and twisted it dramatically, snapping her neck instantly. The woman dropped dead in a heap on the floor of his office.

"I'm sorry Consuela, but I can't have dissidents in my mist." He said to her dead body, giving it a good swift kick. He pulled out his phone and snapped a picture.

"Time to show someone I don't take betrayal lightly." He said to himself almost seething.

…

Nora and Cesar had been driving continuously since that morning and it was quickly approaching the time they would meet Daryl. They had run into a few traffic snags from refugees fleeing the major cities and Cesar had opted to drive the silver Mercedes along the back roads to get to their rendezvous destination. Benton had asked where they were going and his mother informed him that his father had arranged for them to get to safety. Safety was indeed what they were seeking, but it was safety FROM Philip Blake. They had almost reached their final destination of Velva, North Dakota and once they were there they had agreed to wait at a park for Daryl to meet them and lead them to their new life.

Benton was fourteen years old and a bit of a rebellious teen. He hated his father but refused to show his distaste for the man out of fear of what could happen to his mother. He wore his hair shaggy and resented his mother a bit for how much she babied him. His parents insisted on calling him Benton, but he preferred to go by his nickname Benny. The boy had blue eyes like Daryl and a tough attitude to match. He wore his hair shaggy and when he wasn't stuck wearing his private school uniform he could be found wearing old punk T-shirts and ripped jeans. Today he was sporting his casual look. His mom had told him to pack a bag and to be sure he brought warm clothes. He did as he was told and then hid a few other items in his bag such as a stolen carton of cigarettes, a pint of liquor, and a quarter bag of pot that a friend had given him.

Philip had tried to raise his son to be his political protégé, but Benny was stubborn and would just act aloof when his father was trying to teach him the ropes. Benny had aspirations of being an artist, not a fucking politician, much to his father's dismay. That being said, Benny posed a potential liability to Philip's political future, so Philip had bribed him with the prospect of any thing he wished for, as long as he cleaned up his act when they were out in public together. Benny hated his life, and he was angry with his mother for refusing to leave the monster he knew his father was. His mother had given him a bullshit story about Philip wanting them to leave for safety, but he knew she was lying. He had known for a long time that his mom was in love with Cesar Martinez, and to be honest he was glad they were leaving. Benny didn't have a clue where they were going, or whom they were meeting up with, but he knew any place was better than the hell he had been living in with his father. Whether Nora would admit it or not, Benny knew full well what Philip was up too, and he knew his father was the worse kind of man imaginable.

After driving for a few more uneventful hours everyone in the car was startled with the sound of a message alert going off on Nora's cell phone. Cesar let out a stream of obscenities "Nora what the fuck were you thinking? Why do you have your phone? You know he can track the phone?"

"I was worried Daryl would try to get in touch with us?" Nora replied.

Benny spoke "Who's Daryl?"

Nora ignored Benny's statement and checked the message on her phone. Immediately her hand went to her mouth as she cried out "No…he couldn't of…"

Cesar could see the fear in Nora's face "What is it?"

"Cesar, I'm so sorry…he…he…Killed her…" She replied as she let out cry.

"Who?" He said as he pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road to see what she was talking about.

Nora handed him the phone to show him the photo of his now deceased sister. "No No No No No…" He yelled loudly as he looked at the words attached to the sickening photo.

"I'm coming for you both…so keep your eyes open…You can't escape me…. PB"

Cesar grabbed the phone from Nora and smashed it on the dashboard. He then got out of the car "I need a minute." He told her, trying to not show how devastated he was at the loss of his sister. They had asked Consuela to come with them when they left, but she refused. She knew what they were up to and who they were up against and she told Cesar that she would stay behind and give Philip a story that would buy them some time to get out of Montana before he found them. Her last words to her younger brother were "I love you Cesar, and you deserve this chance of freedom and happiness from this monster. I will be fine here, he doesn't suspect me of anything, and he won't…now go!"

Cesar took in a deep breath at the memory and then took the broken cell phone in his hand and tossed it into the woods. "Find that you mother fucker." He said to himself.

While Cesar was gathering himself, Benny took the chance to ask his mother again "Who's Daryl and will you tell me what the fuck is going on?"

"Benny…language!" She scolded.

"Seriously _mother, _what is going on? Just so you know…I know everything that has been going on with Daddy Dearest. I know he is a sick son of a bitch that has being biding his time to take over the country, I know he has been buying off high powered officials so that he can be in charge, and I know he has something to do with this virus that is spreading like wildfire through the country. That being said, you need to tell me whom we are meeting with. I deserve to know. I might be young, but I'm not stupid."

"Daryl is your older brother. I haven't seen him since he was two. I had a whole other life once Benny. It is too much of a long and drawn out story to tell you right now, and to be honest I'm not up to it at the moment, but Daryl is going to get us to safety. To be honest, I know about as much about him as you do, but he is offering us a chance…which is much more than I can expect after what I did to him and your other brother Merle." Nora confessed.

"So I have two brothers that I am just finding out about?" Benny said, in an almost angry tone

"You _had _two brothers. Merle passed away a short time back. Please don't ask me how, because I don't really know. Hell, I don't know much of anything about my oldest sons. Benny, I lost two boys, and I can't lose you. Why do you think I have been so protective over you? It's not because you need it, it's because I need to do it…for myself." She said, tears slipping down her face.

Benny's breathing was becoming labored and Nora was sure he was about to have an Asthma attack "Honey, let me get you your inhaler." She said as she fumbled in her bag.

"Damnit I don't need my inhaler, I just need to get out of this car and get some air. Sorry, but finding out I have two brothers is just a little overwhelming for me right now _Mother." _He said angrily.

"I know it is Benton, and I'm sorry, but I didn't know how to tell you. I promise when we get settled I will tell you the entire story."

Benny was about to get out of the car when Cesar got in "Diseased ones coming down the road, we need to get out of here and get to Velva as soon as possible, it's not safe."

And with that they headed down the road for the last leg of their trip, all three individuals all holding onto the hope that Daryl would be their savior.

…

Day turned into night and even though Davia said she would let Daryl sleep only a few hours, she let him sleep for eight. He needed it and she knew it, so she didn't bother waking him until it was time to stop for the evening.

Davia had put the vehicle in park and then pulled on her warm coat as Daryl roused awake in the passenger sleep. When he finally opened his eyes he was surprised to see it was dark "you let me over sleep Davia." He said.

"No Daryl, I let you sleep and get some much needed rest. You didn't oversleep. We're at the exact same location we are supposed to be and everyone and everything is one piece. Were stopping for the night and it's getting close to the time you and Rick need to leave to meet your mother." She told him sternly.

"I feel like I've been hit by a train." Daryl told her.

"That's your body craving more sleep Daryl. We're gonna fuel up all the vehicles and stop for the night. This is one of Morgan's 'safe' places. In fact, I believe this is the last time we fuel up in the states. Our next stop will be in Canada. Your coat and gloves are in the back seat and you need to put them on. The temperature outside is reading 15 degrees and I don't think your acclimated to the cold just yet. Plus I can't wait for you to try out the coat I bought you." She said trying to lighten his mood.

"I'll be fine without the coat." He told her.

"Put the damn coat on Daryl. Jesus you have been a stubborn son of a bitch since we left. Look at how you have me swearing. Lord I hope Hershel doesn't hear me." She said.

Daryl relinquished and put on the coat and gloves she had for him and once they got out of the vehicle he had to admit he was glad she had made him do it. The air was frigid and the wind blew right through all of them.

As everyone got out of their vehicles to stretch their legs Daryl could already hear the grumbling about the cold. "Where exactly are we staying for the night? Other than the fuel depot I don't really see anywhere to sleep." Lori said out loud.

Morgan replied "We sleep in our vehicles. Everyone was instructed to bring warm clothing and now is the time to utilize those clothes. Hotels are not safe at the current time, so we have to rely on what we have to provide shelter for us for the evening. Once we get to Alaska, there is a bunk house to hold everyone, but for tonight if you want to rest, we sleep here." He told them.

"You've got to be kidding me…right? Shane you have to do something, this isn't safe." Lori continued on.

April then chimed in "Lori's right. We are both expecting and these conditions are not good for our pregnancies."

Daryl was getting pissed and could no longer hold his tongue "Y'all gotta tough it out like the rest of us. Women have been having babies in conditions worse than this for years. Use the cold weather gear like Morgan just told you too and you will be fine. Hell, use body heat if you gotta. Navy Seals do it all the time."

Shane then felt the need to defend Lori and April "Dixon, do we look like we have any Navy Seals in this group? These are two delicate women that need protecting and comfort, and this is an unacceptable solution."

Dale then interjected "Look, if they are concerned about the sleeping conditions, they can sleep in the RV. I have a generator that will keep them plenty warm. Will that suffice?"

Lori then responded "That is very kind of you Dale, and April and I will take you up on that." She didn't hesitate to take advantage of the old man's kindness or even offer to allow the children to sleep in the RV as well. It disgusted Daryl, and he didn't like how April and Lori had seemed to connect. He did remember that Davia had mentioned they needed to have a discussion about April before he went to sleep, and now he was starting to see why. It would appear that Lori was influencing April and she was going along with her every whim.

Rick called a meeting with Morgan, Daryl, Shane, and Brad before he and Daryl left to meet Nora. "I know things seem quiet for right now, but I have a gut feeling we have been lucky avoiding the Walker's so far. I would like to ask y'all to set up a watch schedule while Daryl and I am gone. We shouldn't be gone any longer than three hours, but if we aren't back by dawn, then Y'all need to leave without us. I don't foresee there being any problems, but just in case we need to be prepared."

Shane then spoke "So what if we leave and y'all are just running late?"

"We know the route and we will catch up with you. And if worse comes to worse we will meet you in Alaska at our final destination." Rick told him.

Daryl hadn't let himself think about their meeting having any problems, and now that Rick had mentioned it, he had to make sure Davia would be protected. After the five men disbursed, Daryl sought out his father.

"I gotta talk to ya." He told his dad.

"What is it Daryl?" Will replied.

"If something happens and I don't make it back, I need you assure me you will look after Davia. She's family and she belongs to me, so I need to know she is gonna be protected." Daryl said.

"Of course I will Daryl. I already look at her like a daughter. She'll be fine, and you will too. We'll see you in a few hours. Now just so you know, I'll do whatever Nora wishes in regards to being around her. If she wants me to avoid her for now, I will stay out of her way. I want to respect her space. I did a lot of things to hurt her deeply and I know it won't be easy for her to see me again." He confessed.

"Well we're all adults trying to survive, so hopefully she won't focus on the past for right now. Once we get settled, that may be another story, but for now we all just need to focus on getting to Alaska and getting settled. Are you and Jacqui going to be OK in the cold for the evening?" Daryl asked.

"We'll be fine son. She's already preparing us a warm place to sleep in the camper of the truck. It will be cold, but we might take advantage of that." Will said smiling.

"I don't need to know about that, but I appreciate your good attitude. Looks like some of those among us aren't willing to sacrifice luxury for survival." Daryl said.

"I picked up on that too, but what are you gonna do. Once we get to Alaska they will either adapt, or they will die…so it's their decision. Everyone else seems to be a trooper. Now you go say goodbye to your wife while I go see if Hershel needs any help settling the livestock." Will told Daryl, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Daryl nodded and headed back towards his SUV to find Davia. He found her talking to Beth and Brad. "Davia, I need to talk to you before I go." Daryl said interrupting the conversation between the trio.

Beth smiled at her and told her to go to Daryl. "What's going on Daryl?" Davia said as picked up a hint of alarm in his voice.

"Look, just in case I don't come back, let my daddy look after ya. He'll do right by ya and he'll keep you safe." Daryl told her. He couldn't believe that he would trust his father to keep someone…anyone…safe. But Will Dixon wasn't the same man he was twenty years ago and Daryl needed him now more than ever to step up.

"I'll be fine Daryl, and you will be too. I'm gonna sleep in the SUV and keep things nice and warm for you when you get back. We will all be on our way to Alaska in the morning and you will finally get to spend some time with your mother and brother." She promised him.

"I hope you're right baby girl. I don't have any idea what I'm gonna say to her when we finally are together." He admitted.

"Just let your heart talk for you, I'm sure she is just as nervous." Davia assured him.

"Yeah, you're probably right. For now, keep warm and try to avoid Lori and April. I don't know what they are up too, but I don't like it." He told her.

"Lori's trying to talk April from giving us the baby." Davia told him.

"Fuck that, it's our child and she ain't gonna have a say about it. We'll be there when she delivers and I will make sure she does what she promised. Merle wouldn't want her raising the baby…I know that for a fact. Even if he was still with us I don't think he would even want himself raising a kid. He knew what he was and wasn't able to do, and being a father just wasn't in Merle's nature." Daryl informed Davia.

"I hope you're right, but we can't just snatch a baby from a mother just seconds after it's been born." Davia told him.

"Don't worry, April is only the incubator, you're that little girl's mama, and I'm her daddy. That reminds me, we gotta pick a name." He said.

"Any ideas?" She asked.

"I got one, but I'll tell ya later. It's time for Rick and I to light out of here, just stay safe darling." He said as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a slow, deep kiss.

As their tongues intertwined Davia felt like she was floating. "You gotta hurry back Mr. Dixon…Mrs. Dixon can't stay warm all on her own." She said as she gave him a wink.

"I'll keep you warm baby, but not in the front seat of our vehicle." He told her.

"How about the back seat then?" She teased back, causing him to give her a rare smile.

"I'll see ya shortly." He said as he headed off to Rick's SUV.

…

Rick and Daryl made it to the meeting spot in just under and hour. The plan was to meet up, exchange a few pleasantries, and then have Daryl's mother, her companion, and her son follow them back to group. It was a very simple plan and very easy…in and out and done.

They waited for only a few minutes before Nora and her companion drove up in a flashy Mercedes. Daryl looked at Rick "Well she has better toys now than she did when she lived in Blue Ridge."

Daryl opened up the door and nervously walked over to his mother and Cesar, while Rick flanked him. Before Daryl could even speak a word Nora grabbed him into a strong embrace. "My baby boy…it's been so long."

"Momma" was all Daryl could get out. He was overwhelmed with emotions he had no idea he had been holding back. Rick and Cesar stepped away so the two could have some privacy.

Nora began to place her hands on Daryl's face just drinking in her grown son. "You were so little when I last saw you, and now you are a grown and handsome man. Oh Daryl…I…I can't find words" She said as they both were now in tears. He allowed his mother to just hold onto him, relishing the feeling of being in her arms and smelling her scent. After all these years she still smelled the same, like honey suckles and vanilla. He took a good look at her and to him she still looked the same. Maybe a little more polished than he remembered, and she definitely had a few more years on her, but to him she looked like an angel.

"Where's my brother?" He asked as he gently separated himself from her embrace.

"I had him wait in the car until we were sure everything was going to be OK." She told him.

"Good plan…smart. So I guess y'all just should follow us back to the group. I'm not real sure that your car is the best choice for a vehicle to handle the Alaskan tundra." Daryl told her.

"Maybe we can purchase another one along the way." She said.

"Don't think that is an option. We'll come up with something though" He assured her. As she reached out to hug him one more time Rick and Cesar's voice yelled out in alarm.

"Walkers…dozens of them, we need to get out of here quick." Rick yelled. Daryl suddenly was pissed at himself for letting his guard down. His crossbow was still in the SUV and the only thing he had on him for a weapon was his hunting knife and handgun.

The area was swarmed much quicker than he could of imagined and all four of them saw that the heard of attackers were focusing in on them as they were out in the open.

"Quick, get my mother to Rick's vehicle and I will get the boy out of the car. Get the car running and be able to go as soon as I make it back." Daryl commanded. He didn't have time to wait for their answer as a walker already was attempting to grab him before he could finish his sentence. He pulled out his knife and stabbed the monster in the head as Rick, Cesar, and Nora all rushed to the SUV and Rick started the vehicle waiting on Daryl to return with his brother.

Daryl pulled out his handgun and fired, taking down two more walkers that stood between him and the Mercedes. There was at least fifteen walkers swarmed around the car trying their hardest to get in through the front windows and side doors. The only part of the car that wasn't swarmed was the trunk and back window, and that was going to Daryl's only option in attempting to save his brother.

As he got closer to the vehicle he lucked out that they hadn't noticed him sneaking up on them as they were focused on getting to their bait inside the car. Daryl only had four rounds in his gun and his knife, so he had to be smart with his ammunition. Plus it seemed that the sound of the gunshots seemed to draw the monsters towards the sound.

Without thinking Daryl leapt up onto the trunk of the car and began to kick in the back window. He kicked with all his might and could see the terrified face of his baby brother in the back of the car, trying desperately to figure out a way to get out. Daryl yelled at him to move to the left "I'm gonna shoot it out, so watch yourself."

Daryl shot two of his precious bullets into the glass, shattering it, but it was still in tact. He then began to kick at it as the walker's were now starting to notice him standing on the trunk. With one swift kick Daryl bashed in the back window completely, but he ended up ripping a six-inch gash in the back of his thigh. He felt the slight sting, but his adrenaline was so high he barely noticed it. He quickly jumped into the back seat and now was face to face with his brother.

"Are you alright?" He asked the terrified teen.

"Yeah, who the hell are you? Some super hero?" Benny replied.

"Naw, I'm your big brother. Do you have any weapons in here?" He asked. The walker's were still surrounding the vehicle and some were trying to pull themselves across the trunk to get in the car. A few were getting much closer than Daryl was comforted with and he pulled out his knife and stabbed a few in the head.

"There's a gun under the seat, I'll grab it, but how are we gonna get out of here?" Benny asked.

As if Rick had read his mind, he began to lay on the horn, distracting several of the group that were trying intently to make a meal out of Daryl and Benton. Daryl counted eight walkers surrounding the vehicle at the moment and Benny had produced a gun with six shots, along with the two he had left. "Have you ever shot a gun?" Daryl asked.

"No" Benny said dryly.

"OK, I'm gonna take out the few around the back here with my knife, when I say go, you make a run for the SUV where your momma is, and then I will come out after you. Hopefully I have enough ammo to keep ya covered and get myself to the vehicle as well." Daryl told the younger boy.

"This sounds like suicide." Benny replied.

"Well if we stay here we are as good as dead anyway…unless you got any other options, it's the best I can do at the moment." Daryl told the kid in a terse tone.

"Fine. I'm ready when you give me the signal." Benny told him.

Daryl counted to three and then shoved Benny up and out of the broken back window, stabbing a wayward walker that made a grab at Benny's shoulder. Daryl then pulled himself out of the back onto the trunk, giving himself a higher view of his surroundings. He didn't have much time, but he did manage to clear a path for Benny to make it to the SUV that Rick had maneuvered as close to them as possible. Daryl drew a sigh of relief as he saw the back door open and Cesar pulled the boy inside. Now all he had to do was get his self to vehicle.

About ten walkers now blocked his path to the vehicle and Rick couldn't get any closer than twenty feet from him. Daryl was down to one final shot and he had decided that if things went south, he would use it on himself. The last thing he needed was to get bit and turn into one of the undead.

Taking a deep breath Daryl calmed his self down and focused on the vehicle. The dead could smell the blood from his gash on his leg and were attracted to him like a moth to a flame. Once again he counted to three and then jumped off the back of the vehicle, stabbing at any hand that made an attempt to grab him. He felt a walker pull on his jacket, but was thankful for the thickness of it, protecting him from bites and scratches. Before Daryl could react though, he had four walkers closing in on him and his mind went back to that one last bullet in his gun. It was looking more and more like he was going to need it for himself.

Fortunately, as the four walkers began to engulf him, Rick had stopped the SUV and he and Cesar laid down enough gunfire to take out the walkers in Daryl's immediate surroundings and clear a path for him to make it to the SUV. Daryl ran with everything he had left in him, and as he finally approached the vehicle, the front passenger door swung open and Benny let him in.

Daryl dove into the front seat and Rick took off with the door still open. Somehow they had miraculously managed to escape the herd that attacked them and Daryl was finally able to pull the door shut.

Rick looked at him "You OK?"

Daryl just nodded and then responded "Piece of cake."


	27. Chapter 27

While Rick and Daryl were gone Davia tried desperately to keep warm and get some sleep. She had opted to bundle up in the back seat of the SUV and snuggle in a below zero sleeping bag she had purchased. It helped, but Daryl's body heat would have been so much better. She was worried about him…not just for his safety, but for his mental health as well. She knew how nervous he was about meeting his mother again, a woman he hadn't seen since he was a toddler, and she hoped that he would be able to contain his emotions. After how he had grown up he really was like a child when it came to expressing his feelings. He could easily show anger and violence, but he struggled to show vulnerability and kindness, except when it came to Davia. With her he was gentle, loving, caring, and patient. She hoped one day he would be the same with other people as well.

After an hour of trying to fall asleep Davia found her self with the strong urge to relieve herself, but she dreaded getting out of the somewhat warm vehicle to make her way to the RV to take advantage of the bathroom. She pulled on her new winter boots and laced them up and made her way to Dale's vehicle. Shane and Brad were perched on top of the vehicle, bundled in their winter attire, keeping watch as Davia quietly entered the Camper.

The warmth from inside quickly enveloped Davia and she relished the feeling just for a moment. "Jesus Christ Chubbs…shut the fucking door your letting in all the damn cold air." April bellowed from underneath the quilt that she had draped over her as she lay in one of the beds in the RV. Dale and Irma were asleep in the back room and the two pregnant women were comfortably resting in the two beds up front. Amy, who had been traveling with Dale and Irma, had opted to go sleep in the car with her sister and Milton instead of suffering through all the war stories of swollen ankles and having to pee every hour.

A pissed off Davia slammed the door shut and gritted her teeth as she responded to April " I have a name April, so try using it sometime. I'm about sick of your shit and pregnant or not, I will knock you on your ass if you don't start treating me like a human being."

"Sorry Chubbs…I mean _Davia." _April responded.

Davia looked over at her and couldn't help but notice Lori fighting off laughter under her blanket. "Bitches" Davia said under her breath.

She did her business and headed back to the SUV. Before she went to wait for Daryl though she was sure to leave the RV door slightly ajar, just so one of the two idiots would have to get up and close it. When she got to the vehicle she checked her watch and it read three AM and that meant Daryl should be returning at any time. Hopefully, everything went as planned and they would be able to get back on the road again in a few hours.

…

After the run in with the Walker's Daryl and the others were driving back to the group trying to get their wits about them. The back of Daryl's thigh was burning and he didn't want to draw any attention to his injury, so he made a mental note to change his clothes and wrap the wound himself when they got back. It wasn't the first time he had gashed himself and it probably wouldn't be the last.

Daryl was startled out of his thoughts when his younger brother made the comment "I can't believe the mother fucker created all of this. I feel like I'm the son of Satan."

Nora gasped "Benton, watch your language."

"Jesus Christ _Mother…_I'm not a kid anymore and PLEASE quit calling me Benton. I prefer Benny…and I telling that to all of you." The smart mouth kid responded.

Daryl was pissed at the tone the kid was taking with his mother "Hey…don't talk to her like that. She's your momma and you show her respect. If I hear you talking to her like that again I will kick your ass."

"Fuck you man, you ain't nobody to me. You're nothing but a secret SHE has been keeping for the past fourteen years. Taking one look at you I see why." The kid snarled back.

"Benny that's enough. You don't have any idea what you are talking about. Daryl just saved you and this is how you treat him? Calm down and act like I at least attempted to raise you with some manners." Nora quipped at him.

"Take a pill mom, your hands are shaking and you are a lucid. Those magic little pills always seem to solve your problems." Benny yelled.

Before Nora could respond Benny felt the sting of Cesar's hand slapping him across the face. "Like Daryl said, you treat your mother with respect. I've known you for a good part of your life kid and if it wasn't for her and your brother risking their lives you would still be stuck in Montana with 'Satan' as you call him or dead in the back of the Mercedes."

A stunned Benny slinked back in his seat and the vehicle was soon filled with silence for the remaining trip back to the group.

…

It was close to four in the morning when Daryl, Rick, and the others arrived back at the makeshift camp. The lights of the SUV woke up Davia and she immediately pulled herself out of her sleeping bag and opened the door and ran to Daryl and the others. As Daryl got out of the vehicle the first thing Davia noticed was that he was covered in blood and God knows what else. She went to embrace him and he held up his hand "Let me change first darling. We had a run in with the Walker's and I don't want to get any of this shit on ya." He told her. She nodded, realizing just how close to the undead Daryl must have gotten. He quickly headed towards their vehicle to get some clothes to change in.

Davia was now left standing with Rick and the three new members of the group. She suddenly felt shy again and Rick noticed the change in her demeanor. He chuckled to himself when he realized that no matter what the circumstances, meeting your in-laws for the first time could be a nerve wracking experience. He took pity on Davia so he decided to make things easier for her.

"Nora, this is Daryl's wife Davia. Davia, this is Nora, Cesar, and Benny." He said, remembering the young man did not want to be referred to as Benton.

"Nice to meet you." Davia said quietly, looking down at the ground.

Nora quickly moved to Davia and gave her a warm and loving embrace "Oh you are a beautiful girl and you make my son happy. It is truly a pleasure to meet you. I am absolutely certain we will be good friends," Nora told her as she grasped Davia's face in her hands admiring the younger girl's beauty.

"Thank you." Davia squeaked out.

"No need to be shy around me sweetie, we're family now." Nora told her.

While Davia was getting to know Nora and the others Daryl found some clean clothes in the back of their vehicle and made his way to the RV where he could change and clean up. His dirty blood soaked clothes and jacket were in a desperate need of washing and he was grateful he had thrown in a second coat before they left. However, it was nowhere near as warm as the jacket Davia had bought him. First chance they got he would need to wash the new one.

Daryl climbed up the steps of the RV and was greeted with an angry outburst from April "What the fuck people, this isn't Grand Central station. Close the fucking door." She screamed. Lori let out a hiss when the cold air hit her.

"What time is it?" Lori exclaimed.

"Four in the morning and about time for you two princesses to get your asses up." Daryl retorted angrily. He was pissed at their attitudes and their belief that they should be treated special.

"Why can't you take a piss outside like all the other men?" April yelled.

Daryl ignored her comment and went into the small bathroom in the RV. He filled the sink with water and pulled off his clothes. He noticed he still had a few small pieces of glass stuck in the wound on the back of his leg so he rummaged around in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and found some tweezers and some alcohol to clean out the gash. After he had sufficiently cleaned everything up he found some gauze under the sink in a first aid kit and wrapped his thigh. Daryl had years of experience of taking care of his own injuries and this one would be no different.

While Daryl was scrubbing off all the walker blood and changing into his clean clothes he overheard April and Lori saying hateful things about Davia. Angrily he wrapped up his dirty clothes in a plastic bag he brought with him and exited the bathroom.

"I'm gonna tell you two this once and you better listen to what I got to say. Davia is my wife and you two bitches will NOT disrespect her. If I so much as catch either of you looking at her the wrong way there will be hell to pay. Got it?" He said while giving them the Dixon glare.

"I can say what I want about who I want Daryl. Your brother didn't like her and I don't either. She has made you weak and diminished your worth as a man. Maybe one day you will wake up and realize you made a mistake. She's not going to survive out there Daryl. She's not that smart and she doesn't have the physical ability to do it…so I hope you have prepared yourself to be without her. You're a damn fool for bringing her with us. We are strong and she isn't." April Chastised.

Daryl was seeing red and before he knew it he was just inches away from April and staring her directly in her eyes. "Don't you EVER make a statement like that again. You might be carrying my brother's child, but you don't get to speak for him. He made his peace with Davia in the end, and she has more class in her little finger than you can ever dream of having. She ain't weak and she will prove that when we get to Alaska, so keep your fucking mouth shut April. I don't give two shits about you and queen bitch over there and I will not hesitate to sacrifice either one of ya to save those I care about. Got it?" He yelled angrily.

"Fine, whatever Daryl. Just keep in mind what I just warned you about. Maybe Lori is right and you aren't fit to be a parent. This baby might be better off with me instead of you two." April threatened.

"If you think blackmailing me and Davia is going to get you special treatment from us, you are sadly mistaken. You aren't gonna keep that baby, I will make sure of it, so get it out of your head." Daryl said in a huff as he stormed out of the RV, slamming the door behind him.

April looked at Lori "Well that went well."

Lori laughed "Don't worry, if you want that baby then you will get to keep it. Shane can handle Daryl and we can handle Davia. They can't force you to give up a child regardless of what was agreed too before. The circumstances are different now and if you want to keep her, then you will keep her."

Lori had found the one thing she could hold over Davia's head to make the girl's life hell. Too many times in their younger days Lori had lost out to Davia, and now for once, Davia would be losing out to Lori's influence.

…

Daryl stormed out of the RV back to the vehicle and threw his bag of dirty clothes in the back. Davia excused herself from the conversation with her new family and Rick and made her way to her husband. "Baby what's wrong?" She asked him.

"If we make it to Alaska with April and Lori still alive it will be a miracle. The bitch is trying to blackmail us and I ain't putting up with that bullshit." He told her.

"I know, and I'm sure Lori is just egging her along. April isn't the brightest bulb in the chandelier and Lori is going to take advantage of that. You know I might need to have a heart to heart with Lori and figure out why she hates me so much. I never did anything to her to warrant how she treats me. Other than getting picked over her for parts in plays in high school, which wasn't my fault, we never interacted. This has to stop." Davia told him.

"I don't want you talking to either one of them. They were saying some pretty bad shit about you and I the last thing I want is that bitch upsetting you." Daryl said as he reached out and brushed a stray hair out of Davia's face.

"I'm a big girl Daryl. A year ago I would have gone and hid under a rock, but you give me strength and confidence like I've never had before. I think it might be best to clear the air since we are all going to be living together." She told him.

Daryl reached in and gave her a kiss "I'm proud of ya Davia. You are one of the strongest people I know and I'm gonna trust you to do what you think is right."

"Shoot Daryl, I just realized your coat is covered in muck. First chance we get I'll wash it for ya. I could try to wash it in the RV sink if you want and then let it dry in the bathroom." She said.

"Don't worry about it, I've got this jacket. It ain't as good as the one you got me, but it will work." He told her.

"Yeah except for the fact it isn't made for the Alaska cold. Please at least put on some layers for me so you can stay warm. I don't want you to get sick." She said concerned.

"Takes a lot more than cold weather to kill a Dixon Davia. Don't forget I just survived getting gutted by my brother and being attacked by a herd of dead folks." He reminded her.

"I don't want to think about either of those events. I hate to think about you in danger Daryl, but I know its gonna be our new way of life, and maybe being in Alaska we will be somewhat safer." She replied.

"Don't know, but we can hope it will be. By the way, what did you think of my Momma?" Daryl asked her.

"She is really sweet, but she seems to have a sadness to her also. I think she is going through some type of withdrawals too, her hands were really shaky and she seemed jittery. I hope she's OK. It could be she is just overwhelmed too. I've decided I'm gonna ride with Beth and Brad for the next leg, and let you ride with your Momma. Cesar can help Dale with the driving and maybe Benny could ride with Carl. They are close in age." She said.

"You don't gotta do all that Davia. I like having you close by and…"

"Shhh…you need the time with your mother and it will be a good chance for y'all to talk without anyone else around. It doesn't appear that you will have that luxury much longer." She told him.

"Well as long as you don't mind, it might be good for us." He admitted.

…

At six in the morning everyone was up and moving around. The wind was bitter and Davia's teeth were chattering as she walked over to the assembling group. Morgan was giving them strict instructions, as they would be crossing from the United States into Canada today. He had a contact that would allow them to pass without question, but they had a certain protocol they had to follow so none of the other border agents would get suspicious.

"When we arrive at the border I will take point." Morgan began "Everyone stays in their vehicle and is not to say anything. My contact will wave us through, but if we alert any of the other agents we could end up with trouble on our hands. The outbreak has not happened yet in the Canadian provinces and they are very hesitant to let anyone cross the borders, so it is critical we follow the proper protocol when entering. They believe we are going to the Klondike to set up a mining camp so if you are questioned, that is the story we are to follow. Are there any questions?"

April snickered under her breath "I can't believe someone like this guy is going to be leading us to the Promised Land…kind of ironic isn't it?"

Sasha heard April's remark "And what do you mean by that April?"

"Look, I don't make it a point to talk to people like you, or take directions from people like _Him, _but I don't reckon I have a choice right now." April barked out.

Rick overheard the conversation "April, I don't know who you think you are, or what gives you the right to think you are better than any of us, regardless of skin tone. At this point now we are all the same, we are _Survivors._ Any further questions?"

April rolled her eyes but kept her mouth shut. She apparently shared the same views Merle did about race mixing and that little tidbit of information didn't bode well for her ever being ingratiated into the group.

Nora, Cesar, and Benny were officially introduced to the group. Michonne took the time to put a name to a face and personally came over to talk to Nora, and Nora seemed genuinely pleased to meet the woman that allowed her to get in touch with her son. Jacqui had decided to stay with Will and avoid the inevitable meeting that would need to take place some time in the near future. You couldn't have a group like this living under the same roof and expect it not to be an awkward interaction.

Everyone was getting into their vehicle to leave and Daryl noticed that Carl and Benny seemed to be having a genuine conversation. Maybe his brother would be able to fit in easily with the group. Now that Daryl thought about it Duane, Carl, and Benny were all close in age, and Sophia was just a year or two younger. However, Sophia's maturity level didn't seem to match her age and Daryl wondered if the abuse she and Carol had dealt with via Ed's hands had something to do with that. Maybe once they were settled she would come out of her shell and be able to relate with someone her own age besides Carl. Carl did seem to be the glue that held the young teens together though.

Cesar had agreed without any hesitation to help Dale with driving the RV. Irma was not doing well and Dale had requested that Milton take a look at her. He informed Dale and the rest of the group that Irma might not survive to make it to Alaska. He had given her some heavy-duty pain meds so she could tolerate the driving and Dale wanted to be by her side for the rest of the time he had with her. Daryl didn't blame the man one bit, had it been Davia he would do exactly the same thing.

They finally pulled up camp and headed towards the Canadian border, Nora now riding alone with Daryl. As much as he wanted everything to feel natural with his mother, the thirty plus years of separation left them virtually strangers. Will had done as he promised and kept a low profile and Daryl was thankful for that now, but they needed to make their peace with each other if they wanted to live a somewhat normal life.

"Daryl honey, are you OK? You're mighty quiet." Nora asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't really know where to start or what to say. This don't seem real to me."

"It's real baby boy. We're together…finally after all these years. My heart is bursting with joy right now and I am fighting every urge I have just to take you in my arms and hold onto you and never let go." She admitted to him.

"I'm a little old for that, but I appreciate the sentiment. How are you doing? I know this is very different than the lifestyle you have been living." He told her.

"Daryl…that lifestyle was never me. It was a means to an end, and I wasn't coping very well. What Benny said about taking a pills…that part is true. It was how I dealt with missing you and Merle. It started after I married Philip and just got worse. The only time I remember not being dependent on those pills was when I was pregnant with Benny…and now." She confessed.

"How are you dealing with it?" He asked, concerned for his mother

"Not as well as I would like, I'm jittery, my hands won't stop shaking, my heart is racing, and I couldn't sleep if I wanted too, but I haven't taken anything in two days. It's a start." She said.

"I'm proud of ya. Merle struggled too and I tried my hardest to keep him clean, but it didn't work. He would do whatever drug he could get his hands on…hard core shit. Coke, Meth, Heroin…all that shit. If he wasn't high he was drunk and it made him stupid. With everything going on right now the last thing we need is for you to be stupid. If you feel yourself slipping out of control then you come find me and we will get through it together. I just got ya back in my life and I ain't ready to let you go." He said to her.

Nora was crying. No, Nora was sobbing. She didn't deserve this kindness from Daryl after all she had done to him. She knew about his abuse without him needing to tell her, and she knew that she was the cause. Those events thirty plus years ago started and avalanche of destruction that had caused Daryl to suffer, Merle to die young, and may possibly have been the cause of all the world wide chaos that was going on now. Her decisions caused people to hurt and people to die. When she first found out what Philip was up too, she could have said something to someone…or even taken care of the problem herself, but she was too afraid of the consequences to try. That was the worse part…she didn't try. Not with Will and not with Philip, she let both men win and as result, she wasn't the only one that lost. Her children suffered as a direct result of her actions.

"Daryl do you realize how much I hate what I did? I was a coward Daryl and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you for what I did. I just hope you forgive me." She said.

"Ain't nothing to forgive, you made a call and you stuck with it. You only did it because you thought it would make it easier for us. Will was a monster back then, and he most likely would have killed us all if he had the chance…he ain't like that now. He's a lot like you, full of regret. He left too when I was fourteen and Merle did his best to try to take care of me, but he ended up leaving too. He went into the military and fought like a hero, but it damaged him. He saw things that haunted him and they couldn't fix him. He didn't fall apart at first and he was doing well out in California, until I ended up in an accident and destitute. I was homeless, injured, and unable to take care of myself and he gave up his life out there to take care of me. I don't know what it was he had there that kept him in check because he never said, but he came back to Blue Ridge and took care of me. Unfortunately, he fell back into his bad habits and never looked back. I blame myself for that. It's probably why I spent the rest of our time together trying to take care of him…until the end." Daryl told his mother.

"What happened in the end Daryl? I want to know…will you tell me?" She asked.

"I will tell ya, but it ain't gonna be easy to hear. Are you sure you can handle it?" He asked her, knowing it would upset her.

"I am." She simply replied.

"Merle and me were kinda just getting by…I was working and Merle was drugging, fucking whores, and stirring up shit everywhere he went. That was Merle though, full of hell." Daryl said with a small laugh as he remembered.

"Anyhow we went to Dale's bar one night, even though I didn't really want to go but Merle wouldn't shut up. He was there with April, who by the way is pregnant with Merle's kid in case I didn't tell ya. Anyhow they wanted me to go along so I could hook up with April's friend Cheryl. Cheryl and I had a drunken hook-up or two, but nothing more. She was also April's best friend. Merle liked me to do everything he wanted me too, and for a while I did. I worked to put us up in a dumpy house and would bail him out every time he got picked up for shit. Well this particular night at Dale's changed my life. That was the first time I heard Davia sing, and I think I fell in love with her at that very moment." He said smiling again.

"She's beautiful Daryl and has a sweet spirit to her, I see why you were attracted to her." Nora said.

"Momma you should hear her sing…it ain't like nothing else I've ever heard. I bet angels don't sing that good. Well that night her and I left the bar and headed for the diner for dinner. Merle and the girls were giving her a bit of hell because of her size and I didn't want to hear it, so we left. I ain't never done nothing like that before with a girl, but I knew she was different. Merle weren't too happy about us seeing each other, and he threatened her. One thing led to another and we had a fight and I ended up moving out that night. Merle got stupid and got locked up. Of course he called the next day for me to bail him out, and I just ignored it." Daryl informed his mom.

"Maybe it was good for him to stay in and think about what he had done." Nora said trying to sound positive.

"Nah, it turned out bad. He ended up escaping and while he was on the run he did some stupid shit. I think he was following me and Davia and it just made him angry. Long story short Davia and me were at a wedding and Merle showed up and confronted me. It didn't go well and he ended up stabbing me pretty bad. Bad enough they weren't sure if I was gonna make it. But Davia stuck by me and I made it. I reckon the guilt of what he did got to Merle and he went into the woods and cut off his hand. The cops found him a little while later and brought him into the hospital. He got Sepsis and that's what took him, but not before he apologized and made up with Davia. We at least said goodbye on good terms." Daryl said, sadness now inflected in his voice.

Nora put her head down in her hands "I'm sorry Daryl…so so very sorry. Sorry you had to endure that, sorry Merle turned to drugs to cope. Just sorry for the whole damn mess. I wish I could go back." She said solemnly.

"No ya don't. Things happen for a reason. Look, one good thing came out of Merle's passing and that is I finally got a father. It took him thirty-six years, but he finally did something right. I needed him, and he was there and that eventually led me to Michonne, who found you. I know we ain't the fucking Brady Bunch, but maybe we can function as a family. Y'all are gonna be Grandparents and hopefully I can get April to come to her senses and realize Davia and I are gonna raise that baby."

"Oh hell no Daryl. After April's little display this morning I am certain she doesn't need to be raising that child. I knew girls like her because they were the ones your father cheated on me with. Nothing but white trash whores. Look, I might come across as the quiet demure Governor's wife, but I'm not going to sit back idly and let her think she is going to raise that baby. You and Davia can count on me for that. This is finally a chance for me to do the right thing, and I'm going too." She said, almost angry.

"Alright then. Glad to hear it. Did you get a chance to speak to Benny before we left?" Daryl asked.

"Yes, he's angry at me. Only because he thinks I baby him…and I do. I think he is also feeling a bit jealous of you. Maybe when you get a chance you can talk to him and try to get to know him. He needs a positive male influence. Cesar could only do so much since he and I weren't really supposed to be together, but I know he wanted to do more."

"I don't know if we have anything in common, but I'll try. Maybe I can teach him how to hunt." Daryl said.

"That would be interesting to say the least, but I genuinely think he would like it. Just so you know, he's very artistic and musically talented as well. That drove Philip mad…he wanted his son to be the athletic over achieving type, but Benny is far from that. He actually is decent at sports, but he hated them. Coaches used to beg for him to put more effort into playing sports, but Benny just didn't have an interest, and if he isn't interested good luck on getting him to participate."

Daryl laughed "Sounds like Merle. It's too bad we couldn't have Merle with us, he would probably love the kid."

"I used to blame Merle's stubbornness on Will, but now I'm beginning to think it was me that passed along that trait." She laughed.

The two rode and chatted for hours as they approached the Canadian border. Morgan had made the call to have everyone stop about an hour before they crossed so they could re-group and once again go over the proper protocol. It seemed this would be their last hurdle before they reached their final destination of Alaska. Getting back into the US from Canada would be much easier because of Morgan's contacts and credentials. Once everyone was stopped Daryl put on his jacket and headed out of the vehicle to check on Davia.

"Hey sweetie, how did it go?" Davia asked when she got to Daryl.

"Went real well. Told her about Merle and she talked a lot about Benny. He sounds a lot like a calmer version of Merle." He informed her.

"I noticed you were limping a little when you got out of the car, is everything OK? You didn't get hurt yesterday did you?" She asked.

Daryl's leg had been bothering him a little, but he didn't want to alarm anyone. He had never really had much need for a doctor for minor injuries and this one wouldn't be any different. "Scratched it yesterday sliding into through the back car window." He informed her.

"I need to take a look at it Daryl." She said.

"Naw, it's good. I cleaned it and wrapped it when I got back. It's fine. Just a little sore from sitting for so long." He said.

"If it keeps bothering you, let me know and I will get Milton to take a look at it." She told him.

After everyone stretched their legs, ate a quick lunch, and refreshed themselves they all got back into the vehicles prepared to cross into Canada. Davia was going to ride with Daryl and Nora offered to ride in the RV with Dale, Cesar, Carol, Sophia, and Irma. Nora had known Dale for years and wanted to visit with him and Irma…especially since Irma's time was limited.

Daryl had told Davia she could drive again after they crossed the border, but he wanted to handle the responsibility until then. They both sat contently taking in the scenery of North Dakota and just enjoying each other's company. "You know, other than just crossing over the border in to North Carolina and Tennessee, I ain't never been out of Georgia. I always dreamed about coming out here and going hunting. Sucks we can't take the time to enjoy it." He mused.

"I know what ya mean. We could have gone to Mount Rushmore or to the Badlands, but instead we are fleeing to Canada like escaped convicts." She replied.

"Well one of us is." Daryl told her, referring to April.

"What are we going to do about her Daryl? She's out of control and to be quite honest, she's a bitch. The only thing that would make this worse would have been if your ex Cheryl had come with us. Now I'm gonna have to put up with her and Lori playing mean girls with me for the foreseeable future." Davia said, letting out a sigh.

"We'll handle it, don't worry. I ain't gonna have any patience for them disrespecting you and I've already let them know that." He informed her.

"You can't keep fighting my battles for me Daryl. Its like kids that get bullied, they can tell their parents what's going on, but if the parents get involved its not gonna fix the problem, only make it worse." She said.

"I'll stay out of it as long as I can, but if I hear them talking shit to ya I ain't gonna tolerate it." He said.

"Gotta admit it's nice to have someone support me Daryl. I haven't had a lot of that in my life and its just one of the many reasons I love you so much."

"Love ya too babe. Now why don't you get some rest? I'm sure you spent the whole time you were with Beth and Brad gabbing your head off about music and shit." He told her smiling.

…

It was just getting dark when they finally arrived at the checkpoint to cross into Canada. The convoy stopped as one of the Canadian border agents stepped out of his guardhouse and waved them down. Surprisingly there wasn't any other traffic attempting to make it across the border and that seemed odd to Daryl. In fact, they had barely passed any traffic on most of the trip since they had run parallel to the major highways and stuck to the secondary roads. The really strange thing was that it appeared that the guards were actually expecting them.

Morgan parked his vehicle and got out to chat with the guards. It was suddenly apparent that his contact was not where he was supposed to be and several other guards were coming out of the guardhouse now to investigate the slightly raised voices coming from the original guard and Morgan. Before anyone could react the guards had their guns raised and were yelling at everyone to get out of their vehicles.

"Daryl what's going on?" Davia asked, alarmed.

"Not sure baby. Stay calm and don't leave my side. There's a knife in the glove box and I want you to reach in and pull it out and stick it in your boot. Do it carefully so they don't notice." He told her.

She nodded and did as he said then they got out of the vehicle and went towards the front of the convoy with him holding tightly onto her hand. Everyone was exiting their vehicle with the exception of Dale's group in the RV. Cesar immediately knew something was wrong and was ushering Nora to the back of the RV where she could hide in the storage area under the bed.

The guard then spoke "We aren't letting anyone cross into our country, the borders are closed because of the outbreak. That being said that isn't why we are holding you. We've had a report of a kidnapping of President Blake's wife and we were told that the hostage takers would be attempting to make their way into Canada through this checkpoint."

"What are you talking about?" Morgan said calmly, still trying to locate his contact.

"We need to search your vehicles immediately." Another guard replied. He was a bit rougher looking than the one Morgan had been speaking with and when he spotted Daryl you could tell he immediately became suspicious.

"You sir, come here." The guard said pointing at Daryl. Davia held onto his hand tightly and as Daryl started to approach the guard quickly yelled at them.

"You only sir, the woman needs to stand back." Daryl looked at Davia cautiously and then whispered to her "Go over to Rick." She did as he said and Rick pulled her close to him and Carl with Michonne not far away.

Daryl continued towards the guard and he quickly threw him up against Morgan's vehicle and patted him down, removing a revolver that Daryl had tucked into the back of his pants. "You care to explain this?" The guard asked.

"If you reach in my pocket and take out my wallet you will see I am a law enforcement officer and have a concealed carry permit." Daryl said, trying to remain calm.

The guard did as Daryl said and took out Daryl's paperwork. He looked at Daryl's driver's license and then told him to stay put. After going to the guardhouse a serious conversation broke out between the other guards and the next thing Daryl knew he was being kicked in the back of his legs and shoved to the ground. Meanwhile the rest of the group was also being herded together by the remaining border agents. April began screaming and protesting when one of the agents handled her roughly.

"What is this about? I didn't do anything and I'm pregnant. I demand to be handled with respect." She shouted.

One of the agents said in a loud tone "Where is Mrs. Blake? You tell us where she is and we will let you return back to the states unharmed. We know for a fact that Mr. Dixon is her son and he has been linked to her disappearance."

"He did no such thing." Davia yelled out as she saw the guards continue to rough up Daryl.

Daryl yelled "Davia, hush. Let me handle this." When he responded one of the guards punched him in the gut, which caused Daryl to suddenly vomit.

"Stop it your hurting him!" Davia yelled.

"Daryl's mother is in the RV. If that is what this is all about we can just let you have her and him and be on our way." April said.

Rick then spoke "Sir, we have a very sick elderly woman with us in the RV and no one else."

"He's lying" April continued on and even Lori looked like she wanted to kill the girl.

"Shut up April" Andrea said trying to get April to take the hint.

"No, I'm not shutting up. I'm not gonna die for Daryl and his mother. Please sirs, check the RV and let us on our way." April pleaded.

The guards quickly entered the RV and pulled out Dale, Cesar, Irma, and Nora within minutes. "Mrs. Blake we are glad you are safe. We have instructions to hold you so that your husband can bring you back to safety…which one of these boys is your son?" He asked looking in between Carl and Benny.

Nora remained silent until another one of the guards roughly grabbed Cesar and dragged him over to where Daryl was being held. "Mr. Martinez we are holding you as well. It is believed that you and your sister masterminded this plan with Mr. Dixon to take Mrs. Blake against her will out of this country."

"They did no such thing!" Nora yelled.

"It's OK Mrs. Blake, you no longer need to be afraid of these men. You and your son will be delivered safely to Washington as soon as your transport arrives." Another guard told them.

Daryl was feeling the pain of being beaten by the guards but did nothing to show that they were getting to him. Daryl was handcuffed along with Cesar and sat down on the group while the rest of the guards tried to determine what needed to be done with the rest of the group.

Cesar then whispered to Daryl "I've got a gun strapped to my leg they didn't find. I can still get to it, but we need a distraction so they don't see me."

"What about the cuffs?" Daryl asked.

"One of the advantages of being double jointed is that getting in and out of handcuffs doesn't seem to be a challenge. Trust me. I love your mother and I'm not going to let her or Benny go back to that asshole. I think I know how he found us, so if we can make it past the border with everyone in tow, he won't have the opportunity to track us again."

As if on cue it seemed like the Good Lord above provided the distraction Cesar so desperately needed to slip his cuffs and pull his weapon. Apparently Morgan's contact had been mortally wounded and now had joined the walking dead. As the other guards were startled by the dead man's re-awakening, they began to fire shots wildly at the creature, but none taking a head shot, so the dead man kept walking.

Rick managed to quickly get Carl, Davia, and Benny into his car while pulling his Colt Python and began to take shots. With the chaos ensuing Brad and Will were able to secure a weapon as well as Michonne and they began to fire at the guards. Morgan had broke free and was desperately trying to get to the gate open. Out of desperation he pulled out his weapon and shot the security device, which allowed the lock on the gate to release and he slid the gate wide so that they would be able to get the vehicles through.

Shane yelled at the remaining unarmed group to get out of the line of fire and to head to the tree line of the woods that surrounded the crossing gate. They all quickly began running towards the woods with Dale and Irma bringing up the rear. Tyreese pulled Lori and April into the RV since he didn't want to cause undue stress on their pregnancies by having them sprint into the woods.

Daryl had managed to crawl his way over to one of the dead guards and retrieve the key to his cuffs, freeing his hands and allowing him to take one of the dead guard's service revolver. After taking a look around it had appeared that the group had taken out the majority of the men, with the exception of a few that were giving chase to those headed for the woods. Daryl suddenly felt panicked when he didn't see Davia or his mother. He jumped to his feet and ran towards their vehicle when Rick spotted him.

"Daryl, Davia is in my vehicle with the boys, the other's are towards the woods." Daryl changed direction and began running towards the woods now seeking his mother while Cesar was still occupied with taking down a few border guards that had come from behind the gate that Morgan had opened. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks when they were met with the blood-curdling scream of Amy. Daryl began to run faster and saw that the undead were coming from the woods, attracted to the sounds of gunfire and the scent of the humans headed that way to escape from the guards.

Rick, Daryl, Michonne, Will, and Brad managed to take out the guards pursuing their group, but the sheer volume of the dead now making their way towards all of them was overwhelming. Amy's body lay on the ground being devoured and Andrea was screaming frantically as Milton was attempting to keep her from going to her sister. Glenn and Maggie were fighting off walkers that were trying to go after Jacqui and Hershel, with Maggie stabbing one in the head and Glenn impaling one through the eye socket with a stick he found on the ground.

Dale began screaming "Irma No!" to no avail. With what little bit of strength she had left she broke free from her husband and headed off in an opposite direction of the scrambling group, shouting at the undead and drawing their attention.

"Y'all run to safety, I got this. If I'm going out, I'm going out my way." She yelled. Her plan seemed to be working as the herd turned and began to head towards her. Beth and Carol made their way to Dale who was desperately trying to get to his wife and began to pull him back towards the cars. Irma continued chastising the dead and waving her arms until just about all of them were making a beeline towards her. There wouldn't be much time, but the men were able to corral the group and get the survivors back to the vehicles. Within a few minutes the screams of the dying Irma subsided and the group were all back in their vehicles and safely crossing into Canada.

They drove for another hour and finally pulled over at a rest stop to re-group. Daryl had found himself in his SUV with Cesar and his mother. He desperately needed to get to Davia and check on her. His mother had tried to convince him to let Cesar drive so she could check on his injuries but he stubbornly pushed her away and assured her he was fine and informed her he had taken worse licks in bar fights with Merle.

When they got out to finally catch their breath, it was obvious that the group had just taken a horrific and terrifying morale hit. Daryl immediately ran to Davia and pulled her into his arms and refused to let her go. They walked over to the congregating group where Dale and Andrea were grieving the losses of Irma and Amy, and Milton and Carol were doing everything they could to try to calm them down. Sophia was traumatized by what she had seen and refused to leave her mother's side. When Nora and Cesar approached to offer their assistance Andrea came unglued "This was your fault. You had to have told them you were coming. You killed my Sister!" She screamed.

"She didn't Andrea, I promise you." Cesar replied.

"We were fine until you two showed up. Daryl you said you would take responsibility for them, so are you willing to take responsibility for my sister's death too?" Andrea challenged.

"Wait a minute Andrea, you can't blame Daryl or anyone else for that matter." Davia said. "There wasn't any way any of us could have known the woods were filled with the dead."

Rick raised his voice "Everyone calm down. What happened was unfortunate and tragic, but we can't lay blame on anyone. Blake must have figured out that Nora would try to get out of the country and Canada would be the obvious choice."

Sasha then spoke "No disrespect meant, but how would he know we would be leaving through North Dakota? There are other places to cross."

Cesar then spoke "He tracked her phone. She had brought it with her in case Daryl tried to get in touch with her and she didn't realize he had a tracking device installed. That is on me for not letting her know as such. I destroyed the phone, but his second in command is CIA and most likely knew about the contact at the crossing."

Morgan then spoke "Who is his second in command?"

"Steve Owen…you know him?" Cesar responded.

Morgan ran his hands over his face "I know him quite well, we were on the same team, along with the operative we have in place in Alaska. I can only hope Agent Owen doesn't link us together. If he does, he will know where we are. The one thing that works in our advantage though is that they will have practically no way of reaching us in such a remote location. Those Alaska boys are intent on protecting what is theirs, and at the moment Blake doesn't have the means of reaching the location."

Everyone began to chatter amongst themselves and Rick finally spoke up "I know this has been a very difficult day, but I think we should all bow our heads and offer up a moment of silence for Amy and Irma. Amy was young, vibrant, and full of life and it is heart breaking that she was taken from us so soon. Let her serve as a reminder that we can never let our guard down. And Dale, what Irma did was heroic and noble. She sacrificed herself so we could survive…so YOU could survive. We will never forget what she has done for us and when we get to Alaska I propose we construct a memorial for both of them. They made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can carry on this mission."

Daryl looked around at the group and saw the heart break on each individuals' face. Davia grasped his hand and held it so tight it was almost painful. He pulled her to him and whispered in her ear "We're gonna get through this baby…I promise."

At last everyone made their way back to their vehicles and the group continued down the road towards Alaska. They still had another two and half days of driving ahead of them, but this new adventure they had undertaken now had the dark cloud of death associated with it.

Once again Daryl and Davia found themselves alone together in their vehicle and just as Daryl had told her earlier, he let her drive. He was exhausted and achy and needed rest, and at this point he wanted nothing more than to be back in their bed in Blue Ridge, enjoying their home and making plans for the baby. But life had taken a turn and as Daryl had always done in the past, he was going to have to deal with the shit storm that life had given him. At least he had his family and his Davia this time to get him through and he would no longer be suffering alone.

**Well I can relax again...Looks like Season 6 will once again have none other than Daryl Dixon...I have to admit I was scared for him this season. **

**So next chapter we are going to have a little Merle and arrive in Alaska. Lots of drama with April is around the corner as well, she is going to be trouble for everyone. **

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I can't wait to get going on the next one. **

**Anyone else besides me excited about Morgan? **

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you think...and I haven't said it in a while so I will stick this in "I DO NOT OWN THE WALKING DEAD OR ANY OF IT's CHARACTERS"...wish I did, but I'm not that brilliant.**

**Take care peeps-**

**Hugs and Kisses-**

**Missy**

**xxoo**


	28. Chapter 28

By the end of the second day into Canada the good luck they had been having with the weather departed. With Davia's lack of driving experience Daryl was forced to drive the remaining part of the trip to Alaska. The temperature outside was reading five degrees, it was snowing heavily, and the winds were whipping at thirty miles and hour causing almost white out conditions. None of the group, with the exception of Cesar and Nora, had much experience driving in this type of weather and that became abundantly clear when the truck and livestock trailer Glenn was driving slid off the road into a ditch.

The convoy halted and Daryl got out to assess the situation along with Rick and Shane. Daryl didn't think he had ever been this cold in his life and as the wind blew it chilled him to the bone. It wasn't long before the rest of the men had joined the trio and they were trying to determine the best way to get the truck and trailer out of the ditch.

Daryl came up with the idea of uncoupling the trailer from the truck and using the winch on Rick's vehicle to pull them out separately. The others agreed it would be their best shot and Rick quickly pulled up with his vehicle while Tyreese crawled underneath the trailer and attached the device. T-dog and Daryl detached the trailer from the truck and Rick began pulling the trailer out of the ditch. Since it hadn't been buried it was a relatively easy task to safely get the trailer out leaving the livestock unharmed.

Getting the truck out was a little more difficult. The front tires were buried and the truck was sitting at an awkward angle. Daryl, T-dog, and Tyreese gathered around the front and found some evergreen boughs to help the front tire gain traction, while Rick attempted to pull from the rear with the winch. Glenn was in the driver's seat of the truck waiting for the truck to release from the snowy ruts so he could steer the vehicle back onto the road.

Daryl and the other two men pushed with all their might as Glenn maneuvered the truck while Rick pulled with the winch. It took them about fifteen minutes, but they were finally able to get the truck out of the ditch and back onto the road. T-dog, Tyreese, and Daryl were covered in ice, snow, and mud by the time the vehicle had been pulled out and Daryl was so cold he could no longer feel his fingers and toes. Rick took one look at the three men and told them all to go into the RV immediately and put on warm dry clothes before they all caught pneumonia. The bad thing for Daryl was he no longer had a winter coat to wear. In his opinion they couldn't get to their destination quick enough.

Daryl headed back to the SUV where Davia was still waiting with the engine running to keep warm. When Daryl opened the door to get inside Davia gasped. "Daryl, My God you're soaking wet. You need to get out of those clothes right away." She insisted.

"Yeah, I'll just put on some layers since I don't have another coat." He told her.

"No, go change in the RV and I'll come up with something." She told him.

He rummaged through their personal items and pulled out a pair of Cargo pants, a set of Long Johns, and a Henley to put on. Far from enough to keep warm in these temperatures, but it was the best he could do at the moment. He was so cold that his teeth were chattering and he could barely control his hands, but he managed to gather the clothing and head to the RV to change into something dry and relatively warm. When he entered the RV his mother and Cesar were talking to Dale and Carol. Dale looked tired and a bit defeated, but he was trying his best to keep a positive attitude. He greeted Daryl when he entered and Nora had the same reaction as Davia when she saw her soaking wet son. She got up and began to fuss over him and he waved her off "You don't need to mother me, I'll be fine." He said tersely. Daryl's nerves were frayed and he had little patience. At this point all he wanted to do was get to their destination in Alaska and sleep for about a week. That morning he had started to feel like he was getting sick and he knew it was from exhaustion. On top of everything else his leg injury was still pretty sore and sitting all day driving was becoming very uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry Daryl, I don't mean to hover…Benny accuses me of the same thing." She said apologetically.

"No need to be sorry, Just don't want you worrying over me. I'm fine but I need to change out of these clothes so I can warm up." He told her trying to soften up his approach with her. She patted him on the shoulder and nodded her head.

"I'll make you a cup of coffee while you change. It can't hurt and you probably could use the caffeine pick me up too." She said.

"Thanks, that will be nice." He told her.

Daryl once again found himself in the bathroom changing out of filthy clothes. He decided to check his leg since it had been bothering him and when he removed the bandage he had wrapped it in a few days earlier he wasn't pleased with what he found. The area around the gash was not healing and had turned red and inflamed. There was some slight oozing and he immediately regretted not checking the injury sooner. Not really wanting to bother Milton or having Davia panic Daryl decided the best thing to do was clean the wound again and re-wrap it with some clean gauze.

He pulled out some rubbing alcohol and poured it directly over the wound. The burning was intense and Daryl let out a hiss as the medication soaked into the gash. He began to rummage around in the first aid kit looking for some more gauze to wrap the injury when he heard Davia knocking on the bathroom door "Daryl open up, I've got a coat for you." She said.

Not wanting to worry Davia about his leg, he replied "Just a second and I'll be with ya." The last thing Daryl wanted or needed was for Davia to see the wound and freak out and alert the others, such as his mother. Daryl never was a fan of people fussing over him and to be honest it made him uneasy. He hastily found some gauze and did a half-ass job of re-wrapping his gash. It would have to do for now until he could find some time to do a better job. They needed to get back on the road and he could take care of it better when they got to the camp.

Daryl opened the door and Davia handed him a navy pea coat. "T-dog had some extra jackets he brought from the men's shop and thought this would fit you. It's actually a very nice coat, just not water proof, so that means you need to stay dry for a while Mr. Dixon." She said as Daryl tried it on.

"Ain't exactly my style, but it will work. Makes me feel like one of them Boondock Saint's guys." Daryl joked.

"Not sure who they are, but it should keep you warm." She said.

Rick poked his head in the RV "Everyone ready to hit the road again? We've got less than a day left and if we drive through the night we should arrive at the camp in the morning." He informed them.

"Let's do this." Daryl said as he took the coffee his mother had prepared for him and headed towards his vehicle.

Davia had the vehicle nice and warm for Daryl's return, but after riding for an hour Daryl was still shivering. He knew now he was getting sick and he desperately needed sleep, but they only had a few more hours of driving and he had to tough it out. Crossing into Alaska proved uneventful as Morgan once again led them through a designated entry point and this time everything went as planned. They continued the trip and made one last fuel stop shortly after they made their way into Alaska and everyone's adrenaline seemed to be in full force. Everyone but Daryl.

Rick noticed Daryl's energy seemed to be waning and Davia had begged him to let her drive the last stretch. The roads were no longer snowy as they were headed south again but Daryl insisted he could handle it and assured her he was just tired and once he got some rest he would be fine. When she questioned him about why he was still shivering he just told her he was jittery from the large amounts of coffee and energy drinks he had been downing for the past twelve hours. It wasn't true and he hated lying to Davia, but he didn't want her to worry. They would be at the camp soon and he would help unload items and finally sleep. Rick would understand and though he really wanted to get out and explore the area once they arrived, he would be worthless without the rest.

Finally at two in the morning they had reached the camp. One thing that surprised Daryl was how dark everything had been while they were driving at night. Even when they reached the entrance of the camp everything was pitch dark. There were no lights from the cities, houses, streetlights etc and that just seemed odd to him. He had never experienced total darkness like this before. Even in the woods hunting at night there would be some sort of light pollution from towns off in the distance.

When they arrived Morgan got out and spoke with the two dark haired women that were manning the gates. It was obvious they knew Morgan as they quickly embraced him and one of the women even made her way over to Morgan's vehicle and spoke to Jenny.

As everyone was parking their vehicles and getting out to stretch their legs a light finally came on inside a large building that Daryl surmised to be the main lodge of the camp. With the darkness he couldn't really get a lay out of the area and being the hunter and tracker that he was, it frustrated him. That being said, he was exhausted and feeling even worse and just wanted to find a corner to lay down in with Davia and get some rest. Hell at this point he would sleep in the back of the SUV.

A large man with flaming red hair styled in a crazy flat top haircut and an interesting mustache came out of the main building and gave Morgan a big bear hug before addressing the rest of group. "I'm Sergeant Abraham Ford and I want to welcome all of you to Alaska. We've be anxiously awaiting your arrival and if you follow me into the lodge I will show you around a bit and help you get settled. We have food prepared for all of you and for now the sleeping barracks are set up so you can get some rest. Once everyone is fed and rested we will go over everything about the camp and the area." He said as he addressed the group.

There was a collective sigh of relief as everyone followed Abraham into the large lodge. The first thing that caught everyone's attention was the massive stone fireplace that sat directly across the main room from the front door. You could immediately hear the warm crackle of the fire and it offered an immediate calmness to the weary group. The main room was about forty feet long and twenty feet wide with several tables and chairs. To the left as you entered the building there was a hallway that led to the sleeping barracks and to the right of the main room were two doors. One led to a large bathroom with a shower and the other was a laundry room. At the back of the room past the doorway to the sleeping area were a stove, refrigerator, freezer and cupboards. There was another small door past the kitchen prep area that Daryl believed to most likely be a pantry of sorts.

The group learned that the two women who let them in the gate were Rosita and Tara, two lower level agents on Morgan and Abraham's team. Rosita had prepared a huge pot of stew that she had let simmer in anticipation of the groups arrival. She began to dish out bowls to everyone as Tara prepared drinks for everyone. Daryl was so tired he passed on the food and just opted for a glass of ice water. Davia noticed he wasn't eating and gave him a look but she didn't say anything.

Once everyone was seated Abraham stood up and addressed the group again "So this is the main bunk house. There are fifteen cabins on the property in various sizes and various states of disarray. They all need repairs, as the camp here hasn't been used in almost twenty years. We have some luxuries here, but they are to be used sparingly. Hot showers are to be limited to five minutes during the winter months since everything is solar powered and we want to conserve the power for emergencies. At night we ask that you try to use as little power as possible and take advantage of lanterns and candles. Each cabin has a fireplace for heat and natural gas for the stoves, hot water heaters, and refrigerators. The water is provided through a cistern and hand pumps since we don't have enough electricity to provide a well pump for each individual home. Tomorrow you can choose who wants to stay in which cabin and make plans for the repairs, but the bunk house is available as long as needed as well."

Daryl, who could barely hold his eyes open spoke up "Why is everything so dark around here? I didn't notice a single light the entire way down the highway. Are there still people living in Alaska?"

Abraham let out a laugh "Alaskan's are a hearty bunch and since the trouble in the states has broken out everyone adheres to black out conditions at night. There is a fear of an air attack and most folks are under the belief that it would be much more difficult to hit targets if you can't see them. Of course, we all know that the US military has infrared equipment and could hit us whether its dark out or not, but any little bit helps. Plus it helps with the power grid as well. The one good thing about Alaska being so isolated is that these folks here are self-sufficient. There are nine military bases in this state and they have stayed loyal to the people of Alaska, not the head dick in charge." Abraham informed them.

Nora spoke up "Do you know what's going on in the states?"

"We have picked up a lot of Intel Ms. Blake and know that a real shit storm has broken out in the lower forty-eight." Abraham replied.

"You know who I am?" Nora asked.

"I do. Morgan informed us that you would be joining us and I consider it a real honor that you are staying on the side of freedom ma'am. We will be sure to take good care of protecting you and your son." Abraham told her.

"Sons. Daryl is my son as well." Nora said looking at Daryl and giving him a smile. He tried to smile back at his mother, but he just couldn't muster up enough energy.

"We will take care of both of your sons Ms. Blake, that I promise. Y'all are the first group of survivors to make it here, and hopefully there will be others. That being said, there are a few locals in the area that have been gracious in helping us with the community. There are also a few groups of undesirables in the area, as well that should be considered dangerous. Alaska is a rough and tumble place and there are a lot of bad men that came up here to make their fortune. I would make a suggestion that no one leaves the compound on their own for two reasons. One is the dangerous men in the area and the other is that the area is also a natural habitat for a lot of wild life such as grizzly bears and wild moose. I don't think people realize how dangerous a male moose during mating season can be. One of the locals, Deek Lindstrom will stop by one day soon and give everyone a good lesson on how to survive out here in the wild."

Rick stood up and spoke "I am Rick Grimes and I would like to thank you Sergeant Ford for all you have done already. We will help out in anyway possible so that we can all have a life here. With any luck we will all be able to return to our old lives one day and go home, but for now, this is our new home."

"Well I will brief everyone more after you get some rest. The showers are available for anyone who needs to use them tonight and if you want to bring in some of your belongings please feel free. Rosita, Tara, and I have fixed up the first cabin you get to when you enter and that will be where we will be retiring for the evening. There is one other gentleman on the property, Dr. Eugene Porter. He is a scientist and mechanical wizard in charge of all of mechanics around here and monitoring communications and radio broadcast. He resides in a small metal building that sits up on the hill in the back of the property. If you see him, don't be alarmed, he is a bit strange but has a brilliant mind and offers us resources that are well needed. You'll know him by his mullet."

Abraham spoke one more time before leaving "Oh, which one of you is Dr. Mahmet?"

Milton raised his hand "I am."

"We have been working on a small clinic all week after finding out you were coming with the group. It's just outside of the lodge. It is plumbed and has electricity so that you can run a proper medical center. We will prioritize getting it set up tomorrow. There has unfortunately been some radio broadcasts over the past few days of the virus spreading through the Canadian provinces and through the borders of Alaska. We don't know how deep it has spread yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is as close as Homer soon. I don't know if there are any cures or what not, but we don't want to risk the undead surprising us. After the medical clinic is set up we need to work on building good strong walls around the community." Abraham informed the group.

Will then responded "Anything you need let us know."

"Will do sir. Now y'all get settled and I will see you tomorrow after you rest up."

Abraham left the group and Davia took a look around. No one really said much until April spoke up "Five minute showers my ass. I'm going to take me a nice long hot shower and then go to bed. At least it's warm in here."

"He said five minutes April. If you aren't out of there in five minutes I will come in there and drag your ass out myself." Davia said, shocking everyone.

April rolled her eyes "Fine, but I am going first."

They set up a schedule for the shower and Davia asked Daryl if he wanted to share with her. He waved her off and told her he would just wait until morning. "Just find us a good place to crash and I will be in after I help get some of the supplies out of the vehicles. We can unload everything else tomorrow." He said. He was freezing and was praying Davia's body heat would help him finally get warm.

"Daryl you don't look so good. Why don't you just go lie down and I will be right in. Rick and the others can unload tonight. Everyone knows you have been up for three days straight." Davia told him.

"I'm good babe. I promise it will only take us about thirty minutes." He assured her.

"Are you sure? At least bring in your coats and I will wash those up so you can have them tomorrow. I am sure you will want to get out and explore and I will feel better knowing you are wearing the sturdier winter coats." She told him.

"OK I will bring those in first. Wait here." He said as he went out to the car to retrieve the dirty coats. Rick headed out behind him and noticed Daryl stumbled a time or two before he got to his vehicle.

"Daryl hold up." Rick said.

Daryl stopped as Rick approached, "Why don't you go back inside and get some rest. You can barely stand on your feet."

"I'm fine Rick. We'll just bring in a few things and then I can rest. I don't want to be a slacker." He told the man.

"You are probably the most stubborn mother fucker I know Dixon. Bring Davia your stuff and then we will knock this out quickly. We've got a lot of people to bring in the supplies so it shouldn't take too long." Rick said.

Daryl grabbed his dirty clothing and trudged back to the lodge and handed the items to Davia. He then headed back out to help the group unload some of the supplies. Mostly it was Milton's medical supplies that didn't need to be in the cold vehicle overnight and other peoples travel bags that had their personal supplies and clothing.

Rick and Daryl were unloading the last few items from Rick's vehicle and getting ready to head into the lodge for the evening. Rick was still concerned about Daryl since his normally stealth movements seemed to be uncoordinated and much slower than normal. T-dog and Tyreese were finishing up with retrieving their personal items and Daryl remembered he had left his crossbow in his vehicle. "Y'all head in and I will be right with ya." He told them.

…

Davia had taken Daryl's filthy clothes and his two coats and put them in the washing machine so they could get a good cleaning. She would get up early and throw them in the dryer so that they would be ready for Daryl sometime after breakfast. After getting the laundry started she grabbed a quick shower and put on a set of flannel pajamas she had brought with her knowing how cold the nights would be. They weren't sexy, but they were warm. She then went to Daryl's bag and pulled out a pair of sweats and a long sleeve shirt for him to sleep in. To be honest she was worried about Daryl. He seemed to be off, and even though she knew he was tired he looked uncomfortable, like he was in pain. But in typical Daryl fashion he wasn't complaining.

The sleeping area was a large room of about twenty sets of bunk beds. She wasn't sure if Daryl wanted to share a twin or have them sleep separately, so she opted for the sharing of a twin. They both liked to snuggle when they slept so she figured the smaller bed wouldn't be too much of an issue. She chose a bed in the back corner against the wall, which if she draped a blanket from the top bunk would offer them complete privacy. Not that they were planning on a romantic interlude, but it would allow them to sleep with the comfort of not being seen or watched by anyone. Daryl liked his privacy and Davia respected that.

Rick and the other men had brought the rest of everyone's personal belongings in and the only one they were waiting on was Daryl before they closed the door and settled in for some long due sleep. Davia noticed Daryl hadn't made it in yet and asked, "Rick where is Daryl? Are there many things left to bring in for the evening?"

"He just said he had to grab something and he would be in behind us." Rick told her. Rick thought about it though and it had been fifteen minutes, which seemed like a long time to just grab something. Rick's cop intuition kicked in and before he knew it he was headed out the door to check on Daryl. The next thing everyone heard was Rick yelling for help.

Everyone ran outside to see Rick cradling Daryl's unconscious body that lay in the snow beside his SUV. Daryl's beloved crossbow lay on the ground beside him along with the scattered few items that he had intended on carrying into the lodge. Davia gasped when she saw Daryl's condition and ran to him and Rick, dropping to her knees and placing her hand on his heart to check for a heartbeat.

"He's alive, but unconscious. We gotta get him inside right away. He's burning up with fever." Rick told her. Quickly Shane and Glenn rushed to Rick's aid and helped carry Daryl into the lodge while Milton was quickly gathering his medical bag.

They carried Daryl in and Milton insisted that they push two tables together in the main room where the light was better so he could examine Daryl. Rick cleared everyone out except for Daryl's parents, Carol, and Davia and everyone complied and headed back to the sleeping quarters, giving Daryl privacy.

April could be heard yelling from the back "He's bit, I know it. That stupid asshole is going to kill us all…Someone needs to take him out before he turns into one of those things and eats us all."

The next sound heard was a loud slap and Michonne shouting at April "I'm tired of your drama you fucking idiot. He saved your ass and you have been an ungrateful bitch ever since. After you pop out that kid if Davia or Daryl don't beat your ass I will!" After that there was nothing but silence from the sleeping area.

Milton first took Daryl's temperature and looked up at Davia "It's 104 degrees, extremely high for an adult. Has he been complaining about feeling ill?"

"No, just that he was tired. I noticed he had been trembling since yesterday but he just told me he was jittery from caffeine. The only other thing I know is he said he cut the back of his leg the other night when he was being chased by walkers." Davia told him.

Everyone looked at each other, but no one said anything until finally Rick spoke "Is it possible he was bit and didn't say anything?"

Davia felt the breath leave her body as the thought of Daryl being bit suddenly shook her to the core. "He didn't say he was, and I couldn't imagine him putting us in danger if he had been. He knows what happens when you are bit and I think he would have at least told me or…taken care of the problem him self." Davia knew if Daryl thought he was going to endanger anyone he would take a gun to his head and end it all. It would kill her as well to imagine life without him, but Daryl was probably one of the least selfish people she knew and if it meant protecting Davia or the others he would make the ultimate sacrifice and take himself out.

Milton spoke up "I'd feel better if we checked him just to rule it out."

Davia nodded and Milton instructed Carol to get a hospital gown out of the medical supplies they had brought into the building. Davia laid some sheets down on the table and pulled out a blanket she could wrap Daryl in after they were done. Nora stepped away as Will and Davia undressed Daryl down to his boxers and Milton slipped on the gown. Once they had Daryl to the point he could be examined it was very evident what was causing the fever. "He has a severe wound on the back of his thigh that is abscessed. Carol can you get me a tray and some saline so I can irrigate the injury?" Milton said.

Carol nodded and got the supplies. For once Davia was grateful Carol was here and that she was a medically trained nurse.

…

_**A little while earlier….**_

Feeling like every step he took was a monumental task, Daryl made his way to his SUV to retrieve his crossbow so he could finally get inside the lodge and get some sleep. His coordination was failing and he knew Rick had seen him stumble a few times. Right now it seemed as if Daryl was no longer in control of his body. After he shut the back door Daryl was overcome with a feeling of dizziness and then all of a sudden his vision went hazy and all was dark. He could feel himself falling but there wasn't anything he could do about it.

Daryl felt like he was in an abyss of ice. He was willing his body to move, but it wouldn't. "Fuck" he thought to himself.

"Looks like you're in a pickle there little brother."

"Merle…shit I'm dead ain't I?" Daryl asked his older brother.

"Not yet, but me and the big man have been arguing about that one. I wouldn't mind having you up here with me, but the boss man thinks you still have some things to do down on the big blue marble." Merle informed him.

"I miss ya man." Daryl told him.

"Don't get all pussy on me Darylina. You know I wasn't nothing but a big pain in your ass when I was down there with you."

"Yeah, that you were. Speaking of pain in my ass, how the fuck did you live with April? That girl is a high maintenance bitch." Daryl said.

"Ha…well that's because she ain't in love with you. She was the hottest sex I ever had. I'd tell ya to give it a try, but with you being _married _now and all I reckon it wouldn't be a wise thing for ya to do. Plus, she's been with Ole Merle here, so you know you couldn't compare to me and my sexual prowess." Merle said as he let out a growl.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's it Merle. She ain't my type anyhow." He informed his brother.

"Well you sure didn't mind fucking Cheryl, and her and April were two peas in a pod." Merle told him.

"That was just a means to an end Merle, you know that. Just a drunken bar room hook up…it could have been with her or any number of people and it wouldn't have made a difference. Never felt anything except a release of tension. Sloppy as hell too as best I could remember." Daryl confessed.

"What about the chubby chick…she any good?" Merle asked.

"Stop calling her that Merle. She's beautiful and I ain't telling you nothing about our personal shit." Daryl replied.

"Bet she's a hell cat in the sack. Anyone able to tame you has gotta be." Merle teased.

"Ain't like that at all Merle. I love her and that makes it all different. Why didn't you ever fall in love Merle?" Daryl asked.

"Who says I didn't. Just ain't something we need to talk about is all. Now tell me what it's like seeing momma again?" Merle asked.

"Merle she's beautiful and kind, but she's a mess. We got a baby brother…and he's a pain in the ass just like you. It's kinda like have a mini version of you around." Daryl mused.

"Ain't no one like Merle Dixon. You best not go and forget about me. You got my baby girl to raise and you need to let her know that I…" Merle stammered

"I know…you love her but you ain't gotta say it." Daryl told him.

"Now we gotta talk about some serious shit baby bro. You are pretty damn sick because you did a fucking stupid thing. You gotta fight to stay there so you can take care of my baby girl. I want ya to name her Katerina." Merle instructed.

"What the fuck kinda name is that Merle?" Daryl asked.

"One that means more to me than you can know. You asked me if I ever was in love, well I was. I think you can piece together now why I like that name. What ever you do, you can't let April raise that baby. She's dumber than a box of rocks and she can't be trusted to take care of the girl. Do whatever you gotta to keep her from raising the baby. She will use the girl as leverage to get what she wants, that's how April operates, but I'm telling ya, she is more of a danger to the kid and the others than you know. She's got a crazy streak in her." Merle warned.

"I will make sure. Merle, I ain't feeling so good…I'm hurting something awful…" Daryl said as he felt himself drifting away from his brother.

"Just hold on and fight through this Dixon style baby brother. I'll be here making sure you don't do anything stupid…" He heard Merle say as his voice began to fade.

….

Daryl was mumbling and Davia could make out the name Merle "Milton what's going on with him?"

"He's most likely hallucinating because of the fever. I've got to get him prepped for surgery so I can repair the damage on his leg. I don't like these conditions, but we don't have much choice." Milton said.

Carol then spoke "Do you want me to set up an IV so we can give him a sedative?"

"We don't have time for that and based on his slow heartbeat I don't want to sedate him. If Will and Rick can hold him down then you can focus on assisting me while I drain and clean the wound. Once it's sufficiently cleaned we can start him on an antibiotic and let the wound drain. I don't like how high his fever is and I need to get this done immediately." Milton told everyone.

Milton turned Daryl over on his stomach so he would have access to the wound and Daryl moaned at the movement. Davia took Daryl's hands and pulled a chair up to the end of the table so that if Daryl opened his eyes he would see her face. She wasn't going to be much of a help, but if he woke up startled she could at least offer him some comfort. Nora sat down beside Davia and placed her hand on her son's shoulder.

Will spoke softly "If y'all don't mind, can I offer up a word of prayer before we begin?" Everyone nodded and Will prayed over his son's health and safety and offered up a prayer for the Lord to be with Milton as he performed the procedure.

When Milton made the initial incision into the wound Daryl gasped in pain as he was brought out of his unconsciousness. Rick and Will held him down as he began to thrash and cry out in pain, making sure Daryl didn't move his leg while Milton was working on him. Nora let out a cry when she saw how much her son was hurting and Davia grasped his hands tightly when his eyes opened and were staring directly into hers. She wasn't sure if it registered to him where he was or what was going on, but she saw a look of terror in his eyes. She softly spoke to him and even began to sing a lullaby to him while Milton was working on his leg. It seemed to work as she saw Daryl's facial expressions relax and he seemed to take a breath and his eyes gently closed.

Nora whispered to her "you are a miracle worker Davia. He has got to be in agony and you just seem to soothe him. Thank you sweetie it makes me happy to see how much you love him."

"More than anything, but I know without a doubt he would do the same thing for me." She assured the older lady.

Nora was thankful for Davia, but also for the first time in many years she was thankful for Will too. She could tell just by seeing the way he carried himself and his humbleness that he was no longer the monster he once was. The transformation was amazing, but it didn't mean that she completely forgave him. After all it was his actions that forced her to leave the family and basically give up her children. She did however, see a look of sadness and regret on Will's face, especially when he was helping Rick get Daryl's clothes off. She hadn't seen Daryl's torso, but based on Will's reaction she could tell that years of abuse still lingered in the form of scars on Daryl's body. Eventually she and Will would need to interact and talk about what happened in the past, but for now they needed to focus on helping Daryl get better.

Just before sunrise Milton finished up with Daryl and was insistent that he be placed somewhere where he could either lie on his side or stomach. Tyreese and Brad had been kind enough to pull apart a set of bunk beds and set them up in the back corner of the sleeping quarters and Beth, Jacqui, and Michonne had taken some blankets and walled off the area so Daryl could convalesce in private. Davia was thankful for their actions and kept stating such to each of them. All of then insisting that it was their pleasure to help out and for Davia to be sure she got some rest. Daryl was carried into the sleeping quarters and laid on his stomach in a bed that was set up for him. Milton finished dressing the wound and Carol hooked up an IV of saline, antibiotics, and a low dose pain medication. With any luck Daryl would sleep for the most part of the day and he would be well on his way to healing.

Before he left to go to his own bed to sleep Milton addressed Davia "This is the second time I've patched him up with life threatening injuries in the past three months and I truly believe he needs to re-think his actions. I appreciate all he has done in risking himself to get us here safely, but you need to let him know that his body isn't strong enough to keep taking injuries like this. If he had let me take a look at the wound when it first occurred I could have stitched it up and he would have been perfectly fine. That being said, I'm going to be real honest and let you know that I think he is at high risk for developing sepsis like his brother did, and in these rudimentary living conditions the likelihood of him surviving are not in his favor. I'm not trying to scare you Davia, but I want you to be prepared. Right now everything looks good, but we will know more in a day or two."

Davia fought back tears after hearing what Milton just told her. A part of her was angry with Daryl for keeping his injury to himself. Now he was here once again fighting for his life, this time because he was too stubborn to ask for help. She knew he couldn't help it since he had grown up accustomed to taking care of himself, but Damnit he was going to need to change. She looked at Daryl as he lay there asleep and noticed how young he looked without the weight of the world resting on his shoulders. He was going to get through this one way or another and then she was going to kick his ass for being a stubborn man that wouldn't even pay attention to his own needs. They had a child to raise and he owed it to Merle to survive this. If she had to remind him of that every hour she would do that if it meant he would fight that much harder to stay here with her.

Carol covered Daryl with a white cotton blanket and sheet and did one final check of the IV's Milton had set up. She said that his blood pressure was a little low but his fever had dropped a couple of degrees, which was a good sign. Davia dropped down into the bed beside Daryl's and reached out and inter-laced his fingers into hers. They fit perfectly and she didn't want to let them go. Some part of Davia felt that if she held onto him and didn't let go then she could will strength into his body so he would recover faster. The last thing she remembered before drifting off to sleep was the sound of his breathing as he slept in a drug induced sedation.

Davia didn't know how long she slept but she was abruptly woken up by the sound of a click and the sight of April standing over Daryl with a gun pointed at his head.

"What are you doing?" Davia shouted as she jumped out of the bed pushing her way over to protect Daryl.

"I'm saving us all from this monster!" April shouted as the flash of the gun and the loud "boom" of the gunshot suddenly blinded Davia.

**The End.**

**Ok...not really, but I am thinking about ending the story and doing a second part. Question for you guys...Does a super long story cause you to want to skip it or read it? I prefer a good long story, but I know others like shorter ones. **

**I would love to hear the feedback on that question as well as what you think of the story so far. I've got so much planned...More Merle and a long awaited meeting between Will and Nora. **

**Thanks for reading and maybe this will help get you through the hiatus until October ( Soooooo Loooonng).**

**Take care peeps-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	29. Chapter 29

**And now the answer to the little cliff hanger I left you with...**

The sound of the gunshot resonated throughout the lodge and alerted everyone to the sleeping quarters. They rushed to the back corner of the room where Daryl and Davia had been left to sleep to find Rick subduing April while Davia was on her knees beside Daryl's bed. Daryl himself lay motionless.

April was screaming hysterically at this point and Abraham demanded to know what happened. Rick spoke "I saw her take my Python while the others were in the main room preparing breakfast. Followed her in here and was able to stop her before she put a bullet in Daryl's brain. She's a danger to everyone and we need to find a solution to keep her incarcerated."

Davia was in shock. Had Rick not reacted when he did the bullet that April fired would be buried in Daryl's head, not the wall beside the bed. Rick had been able to sneak up beside her and grab her arm just as she fired. Now he was holding her down as she flailed about wildly screaming "Don't hurt my baby you stupid Pig."

Davia began to run her hands all over Daryl's body double-checking that he hadn't been shot by the fucking lunatic. "Get her out of here before I kill her." She screamed.

Nora showed up and went into Mama Bear mode when she saw what April had done. "Are you out of your mind?" She said as she snatched the girl out of Rick's hold and began to shake her wildly. No one could have imagined the anger that Nora was now showing, including Will and Cesar. Benny was staring at his mother wild-eyed. He had never seen her so angry.

The chaos calmed down and Rick cuffed April to one of the beds so she could no longer have free reign of the lodge. He looked at her "For now you stay here. If you need to get up and go to the restroom, you call for me, and me only." He said. He then turned to the rest of the group and addressed them "No one is to speak to her or go near her. We will come up with a solution, but for now she is off limits."

Lori then spoke up "Rick you can't…she's five months pregnant and this could possibly stress the baby."

"Jesus Christ Lori will you shut the fuck up about that shit? The last time I checked pregnancy wasn't a sickness, women clearly survive stressful situations all the time and I don't see how having her stay put in one place for a while is a problem. We are going to allow her to eat, rest comfortably, and walk around as long as she is escorted. Do you realize she just tried to kill Daryl?" Rick blasted.

"Maybe she would have done us all a favor." Shane said maliciously.

Rick then exploded again, "Really Shane? We're back to this again? I'm not going to waste time defending Daryl to you. He's an honorable man who has risked life and limb to help get us all here and for now I hope like hell he can beat this infection. In the short period of time since I have known him I have grown to care for him like a brother. I felt that way about you too once Shane, but you turned out to be a manipulative, self-serving son of a bitch and Daryl has more dignity and loyalty in his heart than you have in your fucking toe. So if I have to choose whom I'm going to support and trust Its Daryl hands down. Don't push the issue any further Shane or I will make sure you get escorted outside these walls."

"Are you threatening me Rick? I don't think you want to do that. I'll drop the issue for now, but this is by far not over." Shane said through gritted teeth.

Andrea then stepped into her peacemaker mode "Look we all have to live together and survive together. For now, lets put aside our differences and just get along. Rick, we all want Daryl to heal and regain his health. I think you can understand why some people are concerned. We saw what happens to the dead when we crossed the border into Canada and no one wants a repeat of that. So lets all just calm down and wait for Abraham to join us for breakfast so he can go over everything."

Cooler heads prevailed and everyone disbanded back towards the main room. Rick opted to un-cuff April and bring her into the dining area with everyone else. That left Davia and Daryl alone in the sleeping quarters. Daryl was still asleep on his stomach and Davia re-tucked the covers around his body so he wouldn't catch a chill. She drops down on her knees so she is beside the bed but eye level with Daryl and gently begins to sweep the hair off of his forehead. She tenderly touches his face and is relieved that he is only slightly warm instead of burning up with fever. She whispers softly "Daryl Dixon you need to come back to me…If you leave me I don't think I could make it without you."

Daryl began to stir and he slowly opened his eyes. "Hey baby" he whispered.

" don't exert yourself Daryl. Just rest up and get better for me." She told him.

"I'm so tired Davia just let me sleep and I'll be better. Stay with me." He said softly, to weak to say much else.

"I'm not going anywhere sweetie, just don't leave me Daryl." Daryl reached out weakly and took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Ain't going nowhere" He said as he slipped back into sleep.

Davia held on tightly to his hand and tried hard to fight back a sob, but she couldn't. This had to be the most terrified she had ever been in her life. Even when she was being attacked by Ed she wasn't this scared because she didn't have time to think about what was going on. Now the thought of Daryl leaving her frightened her to no end. Davia could no longer hold off the tears and began to cry.

Beth had gone back to the sleeping area to retrieve some clean clothes when she heard Davia and her heart broke for her friend. Rick had asked the rest of the group to give Davia and Daryl privacy, but Beth couldn't allow Davia to hurt like this alone. She got up from the floor where she had been sitting and headed towards where the couple was residing and pushed back one of the blankets that had been hung to keep them secluded.

Davia felt Beth's soft hands on her shoulder and she turned around and fell into Beth's gentle embrace. Sobs began to wrack her body as all the tension and stress of the past week finally released from her body.

"Beth I can't lose him…if he dies I will die too. Why does he have to be so stubborn?" She cried.

"Davia we aren't going to lose him, I truly believe God has bigger plans for Daryl. And that stubbornness he possesses is what's gonna keep him here with us. Daryl is a survivor Davia, and he loves you more than anything and that's why he is going to live." Beth assured her friend.

"Beth, when I looked up and saw April with a gun to his head I couldn't think, all I could do was react. But if Rick hadn't been there I would have lost him then. I can't get that vision out of my head. I am so thankful he doesn't know what happened." Davia admitted.

"Right now let's focus on Daryl, but between you and me, April has to go. If she weren't pregnant with Merle's child I would kill her myself. I will tell you this, as soon as that baby is born I will make sure she is gone from this place." Beth said.

"That makes two of us. I used to think it would be cruel to snatch a child from a mother right after birth, but I think that in this case it would be the right thing to do. The issue will be convincing others it would be the right thing to do. It's not like we can go somewhere else to live and avoid the psycho bitch." Davia said.

Beth started laughing "Davia I remember when you were just a timid girl, and now look at you. Mrs. Dixon extraordinare…Daryl really is rubbing off on you."

Davia let out a breath "Maybe that's the case, I will say he makes me feel a lot more confident and he makes me feel like I'm the most important person in the world."

"To him you are Davia. He loves you so much and you can see it. Everyone in Blue Ridge only knew Daryl as an angry redneck that followed Merle around like a puppy dog. Now he's stepped out on his own too, and you are the reason for that. You are both so good for each other." Beth said giving her a beautiful smile.

"Beth, he has to be OK…no, He will be OK. He's gonna pull through and we are going to be parents and we are all gonna survive here together. Well, almost all of us. Someone's gonna kill April…we should start a betting pool on who it's gonna be." Davia said.

"God, we shouldn't joke like this, but if I had to bet I would say April is most likely to do herself in. She's a complete idiot and totally reckless. And I don't know what the hell Lori is up too, but I think she is using April just to get back at you. She sees how stupid the girl is and just keeps encouraging her. Rick's not gonna tolerate it and that you can be sure of." Beth told her friend.

"I don't care how it's done, but April has to go." Davia said coldly.

"We'll figure something out Davia." Beth assured her.

…

Davia sat and watched Daryl sleep for the rest of the day and night. The next morning came and she had yet to eat or adventure outside to take in her surroundings. Just before breakfast Carol came in and encouraged Davia to get up and stretch her legs while she irrigated Daryl's wound and checked on his vitals. Davia reluctantly agreed but she could use a shower and a meal and she wanted to check to see what she missed during the previous day. Nora came to check on her just as Carol had arrived and asked if she could sit with Daryl while Davia got a bit of relief. Davia agreed and gave her mother in law a sweet embrace before gathering up some clean clothes and heading to the shower.

Nora looked at Carol and spoke "I hate seeing him like this. I just found him and I can't bare the idea of losing him so soon."

"He's a strong man and I think he should pull through." Carol said as she slid down the sheet and untied the back of the hospital gown so she could examine his leg. Daryl was still asleep, as Milton had increased the pain meds in the IV. He had taken into account that Daryl seemed like someone who wouldn't follow doctor's orders to remain in bed and he didn't want to risk Daryl making the wound worse. It was obvious that Daryl was exhausted and very ill and he needed rest and time to heal before he should be up and about.

For the first time Nora got a good look at Daryl's back and the scars that covered it. She then let out an audible gasp. Carol looked up at her "It's a shame isn't it? The whole town knew what was happening to those kids and no one ever did anything about it. There wasn't anyone there to protect them."

Whether it was intended to be a cruel or not, the statement made Nora feel like she had been punched in the gut. She was the one who should have been there to protect her boys, but she ran like a coward. Carol continued to speak "Look, I know what it's like to have an abusive husband. Ed beat me everyday and I left him, but it didn't stop the abuse. He came after Sophia and me after we left, and did unspeakable things to her. Leaving didn't solve anything and I live with regret everyday. You made a mistake and you should own up to it." Carol said.

Nora was now angry "Who are you to judge me? Do you think I just ran out on my children because I couldn't handle it? I left because he was without a doubt going to kill us all. His anger at me was a threat to them, and he said as much. If I had taken them with me he would have hunted me down and killed me, the children, and most likely himself. I'm very sorry about what happened to you and your daughter, but you can't compare us Carol and I take offense at what you are saying."

Carol smirked "You can try to justify it all you want Nora, but the truth is that what happened to Daryl is partly your fault. You should really learn to accept that fact."

Both women were interrupted by Will pulling back the privacy curtain and intervening in the conversation. It was really the first time that Nora and Will had been face to face since Nora came to join the group. He spoke calmly "Carol I've overheard your conversation with Nora, and I want you to know, she did the right thing. I was not in my right mind back then and if she had stayed I would have killed her and the boys, or at least Daryl. I was convinced she was having an affair with my brother Jesse while I was out drinking and drugging and having affairs myself. When I found out she was pregnant with Daryl I swore there was no way it could be my child because Nora and I had only been together one time in the previous month. I never accepted Daryl and took my rage out on Nora and the child. She protected him the best way she could, but it wasn't going to be enough. When he was two the violence had become so bad because of what I thought Nora had done that I really was planning on killing them. She had to leave to save her life, and for some reason after she left I didn't feel the need to kill the child, but now I blamed him for the one true love I had in my life at the time leaving me. Daryl was in a no win situation."

Nora had tears re-living that dark period of her life, however Carol didn't look impressed. She spoke "So I guess that makes it OK for her abandoning her sons. Are you going to say she bares no responsibility in what happened to Daryl? Look at his back Will…you did this to him because she left!" Carol said ripping back the sheet she had covered up Daryl with. Nora was now furious and she quickly rushed at Carol and pulled the sheet up over Daryl, who was completely oblivious to the argument going on around him.

"Get out of here now. I will take care of my son myself. You are NOT to come near him again. You have no right exposing something he keeps so private. I don't know who you think you are, but this is unacceptable behavior." Nora screamed.

"Listen to me Ms. Blake, I met your husband about a year ago. He had come to the area to address Ed's group in Andrews. He was a very handsome and wealthy man of vision and I have a hard time believing that you willingly left him. I don't believe for one minute that you left your sons out of fear, I believe you left because you wanted something better…and you got it. I think the only reason you left Philip Blake was you were tired of not being the only woman in his life. Oh yes, I know about his other women, and I know about the child he fathered that he kept his dirty little secret. He did a fantastic job of keeping that under wraps. I think you also knew he kept you around because it was good for his career. Now that you don't have anywhere to go you called on your son to bail you out, and as result of him trying to save you and your bratty son, he got injured and now he might die. That once again is on you. I truly hope Daryl gets better so he can see what a selfish and manipulative bitch you are. He deserves better than you for what you did!"

Slap. It was loud and it seemed to reverberate throughout the entire lodge. Nora was never one for violence, but Carol pushed her too far. Quickly Carol reached up and grabbed her face where she felt the sting of Nora's hand. Then she looked at Nora and smirked "That all you got honey? I've had much worse." Carol then turned and left.

"Ugh!" Nora exclaimed. She then realized it was just her and Will alone with a sleeping Daryl. "Thanks for trying to defend me. I guess I'm not winning a mother of the year award with her."

"She had no right to talk like that to ya. I hope you realize she was wrong." Will assured his ex-wife.

"Maybe, Maybe not." Nora said "It's weird, we rode together for two days in the RV and she was just as kind and cordial as she could be, and then she gets me alone and just pounces on me."

" I think Carol wants people to assume she is the meek abused housewife and caring nurse, but obviously there is some deep rooted anger inside of her. Probably a result of all the abuse she took from Ed. She's not a bad woman, but I think she is dealing with a lot. You know Daryl and Rick were the ones who found her little girl after Ed took her. I don't know all the details, but I think that her father violated the little girl, and Carol is angry at the world. I'll talk to Milton about caring for Daryl directly." Will told Nora.

"That would be good Will." The two were then sitting there in an awkward silence that was broken when Daryl let out a breath and began to stir.

His eyes slowly began to open and he wasn't sure about his surroundings, or why he was laying on his stomach. He notice he was hooked to an IV and saw what looked like a bullet hole in the wall in front of him. Slight panic took over him when he saw Will, but reality set in quickly and he was able to calm himself down.

"I gotta piss" Daryl said.

Nora let out a giggle at Daryl's bluntness "Will, he sounds just like you used to when you woke up in the morning."

Will just shook his head "Let me get something for you to go in."

"No…I ain't pissing in a bucket. Help me get up and I can handle the rest." Daryl said.

Nora then spoke "Daryl honey, it would be easier if you just did it here."

"Please give me just a little bit of fucking dignity. If y'all don't want to help me then find Davia, she'll do it." He said stubbornly.

"Just hold on Daryl and we'll get you up. Not sure if the doctor wants you up this soon." Will told his son.

"Fuck the doc. Just help me up." He told them. Nora and Will each got on either side of Daryl and Nora managed to disconnect the IV so Daryl was no longer encumbered by the medical device.

"Daryl don't put any pressure on the back of your thigh. Carol just irrigated the wound and re-wrapped it, but you need to be very careful. When your father and I lift you up put all of your weight on your other leg." Nora instructed him.

Daryl nodded "OK, lets go." He said.

They counted to three and Daryl's parents lifted him up successfully off the bed. Daryl grunted and gritted his teeth, not expecting the pain in his leg to be as bad as it was, but he endured it. The finally had him standing on both legs and he didn't think he had ever felt so dizzy in his life.

"Hold on a second and let me gain my wits about me." Daryl told them.

"Take your time son." Will replied. Meanwhile Nora was tying the back of the hospital gown so that no part of Daryl was exposed other than his lower legs and arms. Daryl didn't want to say anything, but the gesture meant more to him than she could have imagined.

"Where's Davia?" He asked while trying to gather up the strength to move forward.

"She just left to take a shower. Poor girl hasn't left your side for the past two days and we all figured she could use a break. She is most likely going to be disappointed she wasn't here when you woke up." Nora told him.

"I'm glad she at least took a little time for herself. I hate to put anyone out." Daryl confessed.

"Don't you worry about that one minute Daryl. You just need to focus on getting better." Nora told her son.

After about a minute Daryl began to test out his shaky legs and with the help of Will and Nora he made his way out of the sleeping quarters and into the main room where the restroom was located. Milton looked up from the table where he was reading a medical journal and immediately began to scowl.

"Mr. Dixon you shouldn't be up." He said sternly.

"Gotta piss" Daryl said bluntly.

"We can catheterize you and then you won't need to get up like this." Milton said.

"Fuck no, This will work." Daryl said.

Davia must have heard Daryl out in the main room because she quickly exited the bathroom where she had just finished her shower and rushed to Daryl's side.

"Let me help you Daryl…wait should you even be up?" She asked concerned.

Milton, Nora, and Will all spoke at the same time "No!"

Davia shook her head and helped Daryl into the restroom. She shut the door and asked him if he wanted her to leave "Naw, your good…ain't like you ain't seen it before." He said.

She leaned against the wall and allowed him to do his business. "So fucking embarrassing to have to be helped by my parents to take a leak." Daryl mumbled.

"Daryl, do you realize how sick you have been? That infection you have in your leg could have killed you. I'm not even sure you are out of the woods yet, even though as ornery as you are being it would appear you are feeling somewhat better." Davia said in a slightly peeved voice.

"Sorry. You know I hate having to rely on folks to help me. Don't want them to see me weak." He admitted to her.

"I know Daryl." She told him as he finished up.

Davia helped him back to his bed and he did a little better returning than he did getting up. She arranged the pillows so he could lay on his back but keep his leg elevated so that pressure wasn't being applied to the back of his thigh. Milton had followed them and re-attached the IV. "Your fever is just about gone Daryl so that means the antibiotics are working. I want to apologize for Carol's behavior earlier." Milton told him.

"What the fuck are you talking about? What did she do?" Daryl asked. Davia shrugged her shoulder not sure what Milton was talking about.

"Apparently she and your mother had words and your mother has asked her not to administer care to you anymore." Milton said.

"Jesus Christ, I'm out for two days and the fucking world blows up. What else happened while I was out? And why is there a bullet hole in the wall above my head?" Daryl asked.

Milton looked at Davia not sure what to say "Milton if you could give us a moment." Davia said.

"OK, just want to let you know Daryl that if you can go the rest of the day without a fever I will remove the IV and put you on oral antibiotics. I've checked the wound and the drainage is slowing considerably so I think I can stitch it up tomorrow if everything continues to progress the way it is. You are a very lucky man, I've seen many people develop sepsis from wounds like this." Milton told him.

Daryl nodded knowing Sepsis is what killed Merle. It took out one Dixon but it wouldn't take out another.

"Thanks doc." Daryl said. Then he turned to Davia "so tell me what happened."

So she began "I don't want you to freak out, but April got a hold of Rick's gun and tried to put a bullet in your brain, if it hadn't been for Rick she would have succeeded. We were all asleep and she got the jump on us. She swore up and down you were gonna turn" She told him.

"That fucking whore. Why would she want to kill me? Should of listened to Merle, he said she was dangerous." Daryl said.

"When did he tell you that?" Davia asked confused by Daryl's statement.

"Don't worry about it. Guess I need to thank Rick for me not being six foot under right now." Daryl said. "Where is he?"

"Most of the group is out and about exploring the area and trying to get a lay of the land." She told him.

"Help me get dressed, we need to do the same. We gotta pick a cabin." He told her.

"Calm down Daryl. No one is picking anything just yet. They are just assessing everything and trying to determine who would be best suited where. Rick flat out said he wasn't making any decisions until you were up and on your feet." Davia said, trying to calm him down.

"Did I hear my name?" Rick said as he pulled back the blanket and stepped in to see Davia and Daryl.

"Hey man." Daryl said. He was starting to tire out but was glad to finally see Rick.

"How ya feeling?" Rick asked.

"I've been better. I hear the reason I'm still breathing is because of ya…thanks." Daryl said.

"My pleasure Daryl. April is going to be a problem. I know y'all have a vested interest in her right now, but as soon as she delivers that child we are going to have to come up with a plan B for her. Maybe take her to Homer and find a place for her to stay with another group. She won't fit in with this one." Rick said.

"Agreed. We lose her as soon as the baby is born. I don't give a fuck what anyone else says, she ain't fit to be a parent and she ain't fit to be part of this group. She won't carry her weight and she'll drag us all down." Daryl said. Davia simply nodded in agreement.

"Let's keep it between us for now. We'll come up with something more concrete the closer she gets to delivering the baby." Rick said.

"So what all have I missed besides the fact the crazy bitch tried to kill me and apparently Carol and my mom had words." Daryl asked.

Rick looked at Daryl strangely "I hadn't heard that but I will find out what that was all about. Right now everyone is outside getting a pen and shelter built for the livestock. All the animals survived the trip and getting an area for them to reside will be critical. The progress they are making is remarkable with everyone pitching in. I'm anxious for you to get back to full strength and check out the place Daryl. The views are breath taking and it isn't as cold as I had imagined Alaska to be." Rick told him.

"Give me a day or two and I'll be there with you." Daryl said.

"Don't rush it, the last thing we want is for you to relapse. But I will be glad for your company because Shane is driving me bat shit crazy." Rick admitted.

Davia and Daryl both let out a laugh at Rick's comment. He then continued "He's questioning everything I say and usurping my authority in front of everyone. If I didn't know better I would swear he wants to be the one in charge."

Daryl looked at him "He does Rick. Shane resents the hell out of you because you allowed me to join the force. He hates me and didn't think I was worthy of the position. You need to keep one eye open at all times around him though, you know if he wants something he will not hesitate to take it. Case in point, your wife."

"Yeah, I'll look out for him. It will be much easier when you are up and about. So heal up and get better. I'm gonna go chat with Carol." Rick said as he gave Daryl a pat on the shoulder and then left.

Davia then looked at Daryl "Are you hungry?"

"Not much, but I'm thirsty as hell and I would love a shower." He told her.

"No showers for now but I can sponge you down. I will get you some water and maybe if I bring you some broth you could try to get that down too. You need to start rebuilding your strength." She said.

"Sponge bath sounds good and if I felt better I might _Really _enjoy it, but it would feel good to get clean. I'll try the broth." Daryl told her.

"OK, give me a few minutes to get everything ready." She told him.

…

Davia was in the kitchen making Daryl's broth when the four young teens entered into the lodge laughing and cutting up. Even timid little Sophia was joking around and Davia noticed she seemed smitten with Duane. They were discussing which Harry Potter movie was the best and Benny and Carl were debating who was better looking, Hermione or Ginny. Carl was team Ginny and Benny was team Hermione. Davia couldn't help but smile to see how well the kids were integrating with each other.

Davia was letting the broth come to a boil when she felt the presence of someone standing beside her. She looked up to see Benny standing to her left.

"Hi Benny, I guess we haven't been properly introduced, but I'm your sister in law Davia." She said extending her free hand.

"Hey, I was just wondering if Daryl is gonna be OK? Him getting hurt was kind of my fault." The younger man stated.

"It looks like he is doing well. He's strong and Milton said that everything is healing properly. Don't blame yourself for what happened, Daryl was more than happy to help you out of a jam. He's good like that." Davia said proudly.

"He's a lot more bad ass than I am, that's for sure." Benny said.

"He's tough, but he's had to be coming up the way he did. You can't compare yourself to Daryl, but he does say you are a lot like your older brother Merle." She laughed as she told him.

"Did you know Merle?" Benny asked.

"Not well. We didn't hit it off too well, but I will let Daryl tell you about the reasons. I understand you are an artist?" She inquired.

"It's my passion. Drove my dad fucking nuts." Benny said.

"Yeah, you are a lot like Merle." She joked back after hearing him swear.

"What did you do before all of this?" Benny asked.

"I was a singer and musician." She replied.

"What type of music? I love music and I think I'm gonna miss it the most." He admitted to her.

"I liked all types of music, mostly older stuff though. I wasn't a big fan of the modern pop music because I thought it was weak on talent and over compensated with studio enhancements…but that is just me." She told the boy.

"I always wanted to learn how to play the guitar, but I guess that isn't gonna happen anytime soon." He told her.

"You know what Benny? I brought my guitar with me and I could show you how to play some chords and how to read music. Brad is the best guitarist I know and I bet he would show you some things too. He, Beth, and I used to all sing together at Dale's club." Davia informed him.

"Really, you think you could do that?" He said.

"On one condition, you have to show me some of your artwork. I'd love to see what your creativity looks like." She said smiling.

"Deal" He replied.

"Deal" She said back.

…

Davia brought Daryl his water and broth and helped him eat. He was already tiring out and she told him they could wait until later for her to wash him up. He insisted he was fine and would feel better if he were clean. She relinquished and went to get some warm water, soap, towels, and a wash cloth. When she returned Daryl was fighting to keep his eyes open and Davia just told him to relax while she took care of him.

She meticulously began washing Daryl's worn out body starting with his feet and working her way up his legs. It was probably the most relaxed she had seen Daryl in a long time. The combination of the pain meds and the warm water on his body put him in a sense of euphoria. She continued up his legs to his lower abdomen where she could see that his scar from Merle's attack was still slightly pink but healed. She lavished the warm water across his belly and chest and up towards his broad shoulders. Davia herself was actually finding her self a bit turned on by the act but knew she needed to keep a steady head. She scrubbed his arms and fingers and that left Daryl's groin area to wash. She rinsed out the wash cloth and slid off his boxers so she could wash him properly. As she gently began to run the wash cloth over his masculine parts she saw a ghost of a smile cross Daryl's face as he quickly became engorged.

"Mr. Dixon, I do believe you are going to be just fine." She whispered in his ear.

"Yes Mrs. Dixon, glad to know it still works." He responded back. By the time she finished washing his body Daryl was sound asleep.

She towel dried Daryl and covered him up with a clean sheet and blanket and allowed him to sleep. Davia then went and put everything away and came back and opted to try to get some much needed sleep her self. With it now looking like Daryl would be OK she fell into a deep sleep in moments…thinking about when she could get her man alone and they could enjoy the pleasure of each other's body again.

…

While Davia was taking care of Daryl, the rest of the group was working feverishly to get a barn and corral built for the animals. Andrea had agreed to keep watch over April to make sure she didn't do anything stupid and once again, Lori protested at the treatment of the woman. "She was only trying to look out for the good of the group" She argued with Rick. Lori thought that if April had killed Daryl she would have done them all a favor.

Hershel was instructing everyone on what needed to be done and Will was assisting him. Apparently when Will and Hershel were teenagers Will had worked with Hershel's family on their farm and was familiar with what Hershel was expecting. To Maggie, Beth, and Glenn the work was second nature and they needed little instruction on what to do. The kids pitched in with building fences while Milton was down getting the clinic straight with Carol, Rosita, and Bob. Rosita had been a medic and Bob's experience as an EMT meant they were going to be part of the medical staff for the group. Sasha was a fire fighter and was spending her time inspecting the cabins for fire hazards.

Nora, Karen, Jenny, and Jacqui were in the lodge doing laundry. Quite a bit had built up over the trip up to Alaska and they were doing their best getting everything washed and dried. Nora was relieved that Daryl's coats both came out clean and in tact after the condition they had been in after the run in with the walkers and the mud. At least she knew her son would be warm and dry for the near future.

Michonne had volunteered to assist with guard duty with Abraham, Morgan, Rosita and Tara. Rick, Daryl, Brad, Shane, and Tyreese would eventually work into the rotation after all of the construction work was done and Daryl was back to full health. The supplies were still in the back of the trucks and would be brought out as needed until room was made for proper storage. All in all, with the exception of Lori and April, everyone was pitching in to get the camp set up for permanent lodging.

…

Amazingly Jacqui and Nora were getting along very well. Jacqui told Nora how her and Will met and expressed to her about all the regret that Will has bottled up inside of him. She offered no excuses for Will's behavior but stated that Will simply started over and takes each day one at a time. Nora says she understands and that she herself regrets the choices she made as well. She agrees to take time out to have a heart to heart conversation with Will about the past but makes no promises about forgiveness, but does tell Jacqui she is glad to see him happy and sober and is thankful that they met each other. It's not a lot, but it's a step in the reconciliation process.

…

April was going crazy under her house arrest. She hated Andrea and couldn't understand what Andrea saw in the nerdy little Milton. Lori had been kind to her, and April appreciated that because no one else in the group really seemed to give a shit about her. All Daryl and Davia wanted was for her to drop the kid out and then they would be done with her.

That was fine with April, she hated the fat whore who seduced Daryl away from her best friend Cheryl. April couldn't understand how Daryl and Merle could be related, since they were so different. Merle was a man's man, and Daryl, well he cared too much about other people. Yeah, he could be an asshole like Merle, but Daryl would actually go out of his way to help others. Merle stuck to his guns and would only help himself. There was no Pussy's allowed in Merle's world, and April liked that. She wondered what would have happened if Merle hadn't died. Most likely if she hadn't been in prison they would have opted to abort the pregnancy. When she found out she was knocked up the part of her that still loved Merle refused to let her terminate the baby. Now seeing her figure get wrecked because of the child made her regret her decision.

April sat down and watched the men work and couldn't help but notice how hot Shane Walsh was. He had also treated her with kindness and there were a couple of times she felt a vibe like he was watching her. She had to admit that she had some needs that needed to be met and Shane could probably meet a few of those needs. However, she had Lori to think about, and right now she needed all the allies she could get.

April asked Andrea if she could be 'excused' so she could go to the restroom in the main lodge and Andrea told her she could and that she would meet her down there in fifteen minutes so they could help with starting dinner. April agreed and headed up to the building. Benny must have had the same thing in mind as April as he headed up towards the main building himself. She couldn't help but notice he had similarities to Merle and that put an idea in her head. Maybe if she could get in the kid's head he would help her get out of the situation she was in. He could be her 'man on the outside' so to speak. If she could get a vehicle and a few supplies she could dump the group and head towards Homer. She was sure she could find a man that would help her out and then Davia and Daryl would never get a chance to take her child. There was a very remote chance that her plan would work, but for now Benny offered her the best chance. If there was one thing April was good at it was seduction, and she was sure that a horny fourteen-year old boy who was Merle's younger brother might be easy prey.

She waited for a moment and watched Benny enter the bathroom, and then she counted to three and knocked on the door. He opened it up and she quickly entered in and closed the door behind her. Benny's face was a look of sheer confusion as the attractive older woman greeted him with a big smile and a wink.

"Benny…right?" She asked him.

"Yes ma'am. You're April, you tried to kill my brother." He replied.

"I'm so sorry about that. I was just scared that he would hurt someone in the group, I hope you can forgive me for my actions. Look, this is gonna sound crazy, but I've been watching you and I can't help but notice how handsome you are." She said sweetly.

"Um really?" He replied, completely bewildered by the attention from April.

"You look like your older brother, and he was the most handsome man I ever met." She said as she then mustered up a few crocodile tears.

"I've heard that. Are you OK?" He asked noticing her crying.

"It's just been a really tough time for me. This baby is all I have left of him…my one true love. I know this is very forward of me to ask, but could you just hold me? Only if you are comfortable with it." She pleaded in an almost desperate tone.

"Yeah, I guess it couldn't hurt." He said as he gently pulled April into an embrace. He couldn't help but notice how soft her long hair was and how good she smelled.

"Oh Benny, you don't know how much this means to me." She said as she began to move her hand along the young teen's leg. Immediately she felt his body stiffen and she knew she had achieved the effect she was trying for.

"I'm glad I could help April. Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked concerned.

"I do Benny, but not in here right now. Maybe later on tonight after everyone is asleep we could meet outside and take a walk." She said batting her eye lashes at him.

"We could do that." He said nervously.

"Oh man though, Rick's been cuffing me to the bed. Do you think you get Rick's key and un-cuff me while we walk?" She asked.

"That I could do. I got shit off my old man all the time without him knowing. Once Rick goes to sleep I'll come wake you and we can go outside. Will that work?" He asked.

"That will work perfectly. Thank you so much Benny." She said as she leaned in and gave him a long passionate kiss. She now had the teenagers head spinning and step one of her plan was in full swing.

**Hmmm...what do you think? April is gonna be a big problem. She is definitely burning bridges and playing with fire. **

**Please review for me and give me your thoughts and opinions. I've decided this is just going to be a very very long story. Hope y'all don't mind. I've got a lot to tell and Davia and Daryl have a long journey ahead. **

**Hope y'all are having a great Sunday night...October needs to hurry up and come...Season 6 will start filming in a few weeks and I would LOVE to take a ride to Georgia to catch a glimpse, but from what I've been hearing they are being super super tight with security.**

**Take care and once again PLEASE leave me a review. I'd love to get at least 10 this chapter.**

**Hugs and Kisses-**

**Missy  
XXOO**


	30. Chapter 30

It proved to be one week of hell for everyone in the group. Not just because of adjusting to living in Alaska, but also from dealing with Daryl and April.

Daryl was feeling better and was going crazy being stuck inside. Milton had forbid him from getting out of bed for anything except eating with the group and bathroom breaks. The wound was healing nicely and Milton had stitched it up a few days prior. There were no more signs of infection or fever and it looked like Daryl would make a full recovery. Other than some itchiness around the stitches the injury wasn't bothering him at all. However, what was driving him nuts was what April had managed to do and he was not pleased with being relegated to bed.

Davia was beside herself with worry. Between Daryl's pent up energy and April's antics she was not doing well. The events of the past week had destroyed all of Davia's plans for the future and now she was spending all of her time trying to keep Daryl from re-injuring himself and panicking over the future of the baby.

…

Earlier in the week…

After April had planted the seeds in Benny's head about her "feelings" for the young teen he couldn't keep his excitement to himself, so he sought out Carl.

"Dude, I think I'm gonna get laid tonight." He told the other teen.

"What? By who? Beth? She's beautiful but how would you get a girl like her?" Carl replied.

"No, not Beth…April. She said I remind her of my oldest brother and she wants to be with me, but I need your help." Benny told him.

"Gross, she's old and preggers. Why would you want to have sex with her?" Carl asked curiously.

"She's hot, have you seen her rack? And she ain't that old. I bet she knows a thing or two as well." Benny mused.

"Um, last time I checked she was crazy and tried to kill your brother, plus she is not allowed to be alone and Dad is keeping her apprehended until they figure out what to do with her." Carl said.

"I can protect her and the baby. Fuck Carl, it's my family too." Benny said.

"No offense Benny, but this ain't teen mom. Daryl and Davia are supposed to raise the baby…Before April got put away she was a drug trafficker and heroin addict. Are you sure you know what you're dealing with?" Carl warned.

"That was before, she's clean now. Besides, would you turn that down? How many girls have you had sex with?" Benny challenged.

Carl stuttered a bit "Well how many have you been with?"

"None, so this will be awesome." Benny said.

"Benny she's been with a lot of men, do you think a fourteen year old guy is going to satisfy her needs? She's using you dude." Carl responded.

"Fuck you man…she's into me. I thought you would be cool about this, but I guess I was wrong." Benny said as he stormed off leaving Carl speechless.

…

That day while just about everyone had been working on getting the camp set up and the livestock taken care of Dale had been working on getting his ham radio/short wave radio set up in the main room of the lodge. The purpose was communication and picking up radio broadcasts from around the world. Regular AM/FM radio wouldn't have the ability to pick up broadcasts worldwide where the short wave radio would allow them to pick up broadcasts as far away as Europe and Asia.

Daryl insisted on taking dinner with everyone so they could listen to the radio broadcasts while they ate. It was the second time he managed to get out of bed and once again, he needed assistance, as he was much weaker than he anticipated. The only thing he had managed to eat was some broth that Davia had prepared for him and he didn't really have much of an appetite.

Nora fought back the urge to fuss over Daryl when she saw Davia assisting him out to the main room and helping him sit down at one of the tables. She simply went and pulled up a chair at his table and gave him a simple smile. People began sitting down and Cesar, Michonne, Rick, and April joined Davia, Nora, and Daryl. Everyone was eager to eat after a hard day's work and Jacqui began placing trays of food on the table so they could eat family style. Her and Nora had prepared a meal of baked trout, rice pilaf, and stewed vegetables for the group taking advantage of the readily available natural resources in the area. Abraham, Tara, and Rosita had caught and froze the trout a few days prior to the group's arrival and most everyone was excited to get their first taste of Alaskan trout. Everyone but April.

"What is this fucking shit? I don't eat Fish and I certainly don't eat Soul Food." April sneered.

Jacqui looked down at the floor after the obvious racial slur and Michonne quickly pushed her chair back and immediately put her body in an offensive position. Rick stood up just as quick and calmed Michonne down by gently putting his hand on Michonne's shoulder "I got this babe." He whispered in her ear. The term of endearment seemed to take Michonne off guard.

"April, maybe it would be best if you ate your dinner after the rest of the group. The insults are getting old." Rick said calmly but coldly.

Without a beat Benny spoke up "I'll take her outside for a walk while everyone else eats. Maybe that will be easier on everyone."

Rick looked at the younger teen and was surprised at his act of generosity "OK, that will work, maybe you can show her around the livestock pen we put together today."

April smiled brightly "That will be nice. I apologize for my comments, fresh air sounds good." She then gave Benny a wink and he came over to help April up, bumping into Rick as he guided her out of her chair. Ever so carefully he took April's hand and led her out the front door.

"Thanks for rescuing me kid. I really can't stand those…those…Ugh _African-Americans_ …I guess that's the proper thing to say. You're brother had the right values about mixing races, it ain't right. Looks to me like officer Grimes is about to ruin himself just like Merle's daddy did." She said on a racist rant.

"Got something to show ya." He said as he presented her with Rick's keys.

"Sweet lil Merle." She said taking the keys from him.

"So do you want to go look at the animal pens?" He asked.

"Shit no…let's get Rick's car and blow this joint. This is worse than prison. We can hit the highway and head towards Homer. Can you drive?" She asked.

"Ah…no, but I'm good at navigating." He told her. She nodded at him and they headed towards Rick's vehicle and took off. No one even noticed they had left.

…

With April being gone the tension was relieved and each table was engaged in conversation about the day's events, adjusting to life in Alaska, and what was possibly going on in the lower forty eight. When the eating was finished Davia and Sasha got up and collected everyone's dishes and began to work as a team washing up and cleaning the kitchen. Daryl, who still wasn't able to stomach food watched as Davia sashayed around the kitchen, smiling and chatting with Sasha. Part of him was saddened at what could have been. She could have been in their dream home, the both of them washing up dishes and talking about future plans. He wanted children with Davia, a part of him and her blended together perfectly, and they wouldn't have to deal with the drama of April threatening them every other day about whether or not she was going to take the child from them. No, that wasn't going to happen. Period. He had promised Merle and this was one promise he would keep.

As promised, after dinner Dale found a radio broadcast on the short wave radio. The first station they found was an AP update out of Sacramento California.

"News from the home front is devastating at the very least. It is believed that this rapidly spreading virus has infected seventy percent of the World's population. No known cure has been found, and at this point the CDC is functioning at a minimum, as it too has been affected by the great human loss.

_**This broadcast is not government sanctioned, as our "New" government has become a dictatorship. President Blake was NOT elected by the people, but has taken control of the White House via a hostile take-over. Heed this Warning-The Safe Zones that have been publicized are NOT safe. As seen by what happened in Atlanta, over one million souls lured to the city were incinerated when our "New" government dropped Napalm on these people seeking assistance. Do whatever you need to do to survive.**_

_**The power grids have been shutdown in most areas as a means to control the Patriots taking a stand against the Government and the Infected. What little of the US Military has survived is split between loyalty to the Blake lead government and supporting the Patriots whom wish nothing more than to cure the sickness, re-establish a democracy, and rebuild this Great Nation. All of our US States governments have fallen to the dictatorship with the exception of Alaska, but the Canadian borders have held strong and no one is being allowed to pass through. **_

_**This epidemic is not just spreading here in the United States, but has run rampant worldwide. At last report the continents of Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe were reporting losses of human life up to ninety percent. The only countries that seem to be minimally affected are Canada, The Nordics, and Australia.**_

_**At last reports the military loyal to the dictatorship was apprehending anyone deemed to be a threat, weak, or of a non-Aryan race. These individuals have been taken to Training centers that mimic the concentration camps during the Holocaust. Three such centers have already fallen due to the spread of the disease and survival rates are expected to be near zero. At all costs do what you need to do to avoid capture by any Military displaying the new flag armbands, which depicts forty-nine stars instead of fifty. **_

_**To our brethren in the Alaskan Freedom Zone, we beg you to stand tall and persevere. Your loyal survivors here in the former United States are begging for your assistance. You are our last glimmer of hope. As I speak I am hearing gunfire and explosions off in the distance and can only conclude that our Great City of Sacramento is now being attacked by those we once trusted the most. **_

_**Just a reminder to all of the survivors hearing this broadcast, if you encounter the infected keep these things in mind. Bites are lethal, and once you are bit a fever will over take you in as little time as an hour, or it could take up to two days. There have been reports of survival if amputation of the bite area occurs immediately, but then the victim is faced with surviving the amputation. As of now there are no known cures and with the apparent loss of the CDC, only a miracle can save human kind. The only way to rid the threat of the infected is to incapacitate them with a shot or wound to the brain. Any other places on the body will simply slow them down, but will not destroy the attacker. It has been reported that all of us carry the..."**_

Suddenly the broadcast became gargled and gunshots and explosions were heard live over the air. Davia looked around at everyone in the room, and noticed there were gaping mouths and tears streaming down most people's faces. The radio broadcast had basically confirmed their worse nightmare. Their home and way of life was now gone, turned into a three way battle zone between the survivors, the bastardized government, and the undead. The pleas for help were heart breaking and Jacqui let out a gasp "Atlanta, they wiped out Atlanta. I just can't believe it's gone." At that point Rick stood up to address everyone.

"We made the right decision in coming here, but as of right now we don't know condition of the area around us. I know what we just heard is disheartening to say the very least, but we have to be thankful for the fact that we have made it here and we are safe. If we stand together as a united group and take proper precautions I truly believe we can survive this setback. We have to trust each other and know that we have each other's backs from this point forward. I believe that our next goal is to completely re-enforce out camp just in case. We can't risk the undead attacking us and to be honest, we don't know enough about the locals to know if they are a threat." Rick said.

Abraham stood up and addressed Rick "There is a family living about a quarter of a mile down the road that has proven to be a wealth of help and knowledge. Now Zeek, he's quite a character. He's big, foul mouthed, and speaks with a heavy Norwegian accent. He tells it like it is and has been living here for the past forty years, and resides with his wife Ingrid and his seven daughters. They are a hearty people…all of them. Just a warning…there is nothing more important to him than his daughters and if he deems you as a threat…Let's just say I wouldn't want to cross that bridge. He has helped us learn the area and has offered to help us with adjusting to living here in Alaska. The only thing he has asked in return is that we afford them protection and help them out in return. I think it's a fair deal and if you are in agreement Rick, I would like to take you over tomorrow to make the proper introductions."

Rick nodded "Sounds fair. I look forward to meeting them."

Abraham spoke again "There is one other item of concern, Eugene has made contact with his counter part at Elmendorf Air Force base and the reports from just outside of Anchorage are disturbing. There seems to be a pretty large outbreak of the virus that started at the airport and they are struggling to keep it contained. Apparently a flight made it in before they completely shut down the airport, and even though everyone was quarantined, the infected over took the living quite easily. They are doing all they can to keep the outbreak from spreading, but it's not going well."

Brad, who normally was quiet, spoke "Well I am in agreement with Rick that we need to work together and fortify this place. Not only do we need to worry about the undead, but we all know that there will be some that will want to take this place from us. We have supplies, lodging, and well I hate to say it, but women too. Alaska has always had the rough and tumble reputation and not all men have a respect for the ladies like we do." Beth looked at Brad and gave him a knowing look.

The idea of someone attempting to hurt Davia set Daryl into an immediate panic. "First thing in the morning I'm gonna scope out the place and help with fortifications. The fences that we have ain't gonna hold back someone who really wants to get into this place."

At Daryl's statement Nora, Will, and Davia all began to protest and Rick stuck his hand up to silence them. "Daryl, you are off duty until Milton gives you clearance. We can't risk your healing process. You were on death's door less than twenty-four hours ago and you can barely stand without assistance. I appreciate your enthusiasm and I share your sense of urgency, but for now you are forbidden to do anything but stay in bed and regain your strength." Rick commanded.

"Fuck that Rick, I've been through worse injuries than this." Daryl said, glimpsing at Will, who looked down in a silent shame.

"No and that is Final Daryl." Rick said and Daryl bristled in anger. He hated being useless and considered just ignoring Rick's directive, but Davia gave him a look that let him know there would be hell to pay with her if he disregarded Rick's rules.

"Fine, but I need something to do. Is there a detailed map of the area I could take a look at or something?" Daryl asked.

"I can get you one." Abraham said and that seemed to appease Daryl for the time being.

Nora spoke up "I guess we can tell Benny it's OK for him and April to come in and eat. I'm going to go outside and get them, I could use the fresh air."

"I'll join you" Cesar said, looking for the opportunity to have just a moment with her.

…

Twenty minutes later a frantic Nora and Cesar came bursting back into the lodge. Most everyone had dispersed and was beginning to get ready to settle into bed for the evening. Nora's cries alerted everyone and Rick, Shane, Tyreese, and Michonne were the first to come into the main room followed by Davia and a struggling Daryl. She tried to get him to stay down, but he was not having any part of obeying her or anyone else after hearing his mother in distress.

"What is it?" Rick asked quickly.

"Benny and April are gone…and so is your vehicle Rick." Cesar told him.

"What?" Rick asked confused as he reached into his pocket to feel for his keys and realized they were missing. By now everyone was standing in the main room.

Lori then spoke "You did this Rick. You kept her like a prisoner and she became desperate. Now she's out there by herself with just a teenage boy."

Nora lost it at that moment "STOP defending her. She has seduced my son and talked him into leaving with her. Now my boy and my grandchild are missing and could possibly be in danger. Benny has no idea how to defend himself and she's as dumb as a box of rocks."

Daryl lost his mind. Immediately he began to attempt to make a run for the door grabbing his keys and jacket and putting them on over the hospital gown he was still wearing. "Stop it Daryl." Davia yelled trying to grab him. Somehow even in his weakened state he still managed to get away from her grip and out the front door, still barefoot and now standing in the snow.

Rick looked at a terrified Davia "I got him."

Rick quickly went after Daryl who was stumbling towards his vehicle. "Give me the keys Daryl, you are in no condition to be out here half dressed."

"Fuck you Rick I ain't letting Merle down. I made a promise to protect his daughter and you ain't stopping me." He barked at his friend.

"Sorry Daryl, but I can't let you do it." Rick said trying to calm Daryl down. He wasn't expecting Daryl to take a swing at him and before he knew it Daryl's fist made contact with Rick's Right cheekbone. Michonne and Shane quickly grabbed Daryl who was now putting up a fight to get out of their grasps and Davia had begun to shout at Daryl to calm down. However, Daryl was only seeing red and not hearing anyone or anything except for Merle's voice at the current time. Blood was now dripping down his leg and pooling at his feet as he had ripped his stitches and Daryl seemed completely oblivious to every thing going on around him. He only had one goal and that was to get into his SUV and find April and Benny.

"Please brother, you need to calm down before you get yourself killed." Rick tried to reason with him. By now Nora, Davia, and Will were all outside trying to get Daryl to listen, but he didn't even acknowledge them. Daryl was writhing around like a wild animal and it finally came to an immediate stop when Milton walked up and quickly gave Daryl a shot directly into his neck. Daryl dropped like a stone and Rick and Will quickly gathered him up and carried him back into the lodge.

Davia followed and helped them get a now sedated Daryl into his bed. Milton grabbed his medical kit and Davia quickly mumbled a "thank you" to him for making the tough decision of taking Daryl down. Prior to that moment Daryl had become a feral animal and even though Davia knew he had the ability to completely lose himself like that, seeing him do it terrified her. It was as if Daryl was no longer connected to anyone or anything around him. She was sure it was some sort of long ago learned self-defense mechanism, but it was still difficult to witness.

Milton re-stitched Daryl's leg and informed Davia that Daryl needed to remain in bed for one week, with no exceptions. He had further damaged the wound by ripping out the stitches and Milton was forced to stitch the area much tighter than he normally would. It was going to leave an ugly scar and Daryl would feel tightness from the wound for a while. Davia shook her head in agreement and apologized profusely for Daryl getting out of hand.

"He may just be the most stubborn patient I have ever dealt with. I gave him enough of the sedative to keep him down for ten to twelve hours, but when he wakes he will most likely be angry and I don't want to sedate him with that dosage again. You are going to need to communicate to him the seriousness of his wound. If it becomes infected we might have to make a choice of amputation. Even with antibiotics there is no guarantee that an infection won't spread and he also is at risk of permanently damaging the muscle."

"I'll handle him. Thanks for everything you have done for him." Davia said in earnest.

"It's my job Davia, and we all owe a lot to Daryl." Milton said, offering an awkward smile.

…

"_Baby Brother you are a complete fuck up."_

"_Merle, go away I don't want to deal with you right now." Daryl said._

"_You gotta find that bitch and my baby. She ain't gone far and she's got that kid with her. She played him like a fiddle." Merle said._

"_Stupid little shit. I'm gonna kick his ass when I find him." Daryl told his older brother._

"_He ain't a Dixon, that's for sure. We Dixon's don't fall for a piece of ass. Stupid little fucker has gone and fucked everything up. I actually kinda feel sorry for the kid 'cause she's gonna chew him up and spit him out." Merle mused._

"_I didn't mean to let this happen Merle, but I'll find her…fuck everyone else right now. I can't believe they betrayed me like this." Daryl replied._

"_Daryl you were acting a fool…they had no choice. You gotta let yourself heal up and then you can find her. Baby ain't coming for a few months and April's smart enough to find someone to keep her alive. Giving everyone shit ain't doing anyone any good, besides that you scared the hell out of Davia. She deserves better from ya baby brother. She ain't left your side the whole time you've been sick." Merle reminded him._

"_I feel like I'm a disappointment to everyone. Don't like being weak and needing anyone taking care of me." Daryl confessed._

"_Look Daryl…It ain't like when we were kids, you got folks that actually care about ya. Hell, Old Will himself cares about ya now too. It's OK to ask for help now, because there are people who are willing to help. If you had done it when you hurt your leg the night you got momma you wouldn't be in this situation now. It don't mean your weak, it means your smart enough to trust others. It's time Daryl. You can't make it alone anymore." Merle said to Daryl._

"_But…"Daryl tried to respond._

"_Look, This is your big brother trying to give you some decent advice for once. Trust others, but still keep your Dixon instincts. Right now you gotta focus on getting better so you can find April, my little girl, and the horny little shit. Promise me you'll do that." Merle pleaded._

"_Fine." Daryl conceded._

"_Good, now get some sleep and apologize to you're woman and to Officer Friendly. You need them more than anyone."_

"_K" Daryl said as Merle disappeared._

…

While Daryl was unconscious and working through his issues with Merle, the rest of the group was trying to put a plan in place to locate April and Benny. Tensions were high amongst some of the women, mainly Carol and Lori were both under the illusion that April didn't really do anything other than try flee the personal hell that Rick, Davia, and Daryl had inflicted upon her. Benny was just an unfortunate casualty in the whole situation in their opinion.

Nora was a wreck with worry about her youngest son. Benny had done a lot of impulsive and stupid things in his life, and she had dealt with them, but this act infuriated her and terrified her at the same time. She figured April had seduced her son to get what she wanted, a way out from the group. What made matters worse were that Nora not only was desperate to get Benny back, but she needed April to return as well. This was her grand child that April was carrying, and the last of her oldest son's legacy. Part of her wanted to slap April and part of her wanted to grab the girl up into a big hug and encourage her to just focus on staying happy and healthy to the end of the term. Obviously there had to be some sort of redeeming quality about her for Merle to have stayed in a relationship with the girl.

Davia was frantic. Between worrying about Daryl and then panicking about April and the baby she was desperate to get a quick resolution to the problem. Rick had pulled a map out and laid it on the table and was going over it with Abraham, Morgan, and Cesar. It was most likely she would be heading towards Homer, since it was the town closest to their location and would provide the best opportunity for her to blend in. However, it was a bit concerning because Abraham had received reports that the outbreak was slowly starting to take place in the city. As far as they knew neither April or Benny were armed and if they were confronted by the undead they would be hard pressed to defend themselves.

"Davia, when was the last time you ate anything?" Beth asked her friend.

"Earlier." Davia replied. To be honest she couldn't remember the last time she ate, but she was so worried about the baby that she knew she wouldn't be able to eat anything until she knew the child was safe.

"You need to take care of yourself, We'll find her and Daryl's gonna be OK." Beth said trying to reassure Davia.

"Beth, I'll be fine." Davia said.

Rick then stood "We're heading out. Davia, keep an eye on Daryl and don't let him get worked up. We're gonna need him." Rick told her.

"OK, please be safe and hopefully you will find them." Davia said.

"Well they have about an hour on us, but I've found people before who were further ahead. We'll bring 'em back." Rick said trying to soothe Davia's fears.

The men drove off and Nora came over to Davia and offered her a calming hug. "They'll be fine. These are the most capable men I've ever known." She said trying to offer comfort to both herself and to her daughter in law.

…

_**Present Time**_

Daryl was unconsciously tapping his fingers on the bed frame waiting for Milton to give him a final check up. Davia was sitting quietly beside him waiting. If everything went well, then Rick had informed him that they would go out in the morning to find April and Benny. One week the duo had been missing and it was taking a toll on just about everyone. Daryl's biggest concern was Davia.

Davia normally had a positive outlook on things, but that seemed to be slipping as each day went by. Daryl noticed she didn't say a whole lot these days, she had a distant and lost look in her eyes, and her face was beginning to take on a sunken look. He then became concerned when he noticed her clothes were falling off of her. "You been eating?" He asked.

"Uh huh." She said quietly.

"When was the last time you ate anything?" He inquired.

"Daryl, don't worry about it. Let's just wait for Milton. Besides, I'm the last person here you need to worry about eating. I could stand to lose more than a few pounds." She said a bit snippy.

"You gotta take care of yourself darling. Look, I know you're worried about everything, and I know I've been a complete asshole, but you ain't doing no one any good if you end up in bed sick like I've been. I fucked up and didn't take care of myself and look what happened. You need to eat something…for me. We'll find the baby and Benny, I promise." Daryl said, pleading with her.

"Maybe a little later. Right now I'm more worried about you and what Milton is going to say." Davia told him.

As soon as she replied to Daryl Milton showed up to give Daryl his final check up. The doctor examined the wound and Rick had made his way back to Daryl and Davia's "corner" while Milton was checking Daryl's vitals. "I ran some lab tests on your blood levels and everything looks good. The infection is gone and you seem to have regained most of your strength back. Rick has informed me that everyone is eager to choose their permanent living quarters, so I think it is OK for you to get out of bed and finally explore the area around us. Nothing super strenuous, but you can resume normal activities. If you feel fatigued or pain, I want you to contact me immediately. As long as you agree to follow my directions, I will release you from my care." Milton said.

Daryl nodded and mumbled "Thanks." With that, Milton gathered up his supplies and left Daryl, Davia, and Rick.

"Daryl, do you think you could handle a few hours of watch tonight?" Rick asked.

"Absolutely." Daryl replied.

"Tomorrow we'll go towards Homer and see if we can find any trace of April and Benny. I'm glad to have my partner back." Rick told him as he gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Glad to get the fuck out of this bed." Daryl said. He didn't notice that Davia's face had drawn pale at the news that Daryl would be out and about again.

"Good so get dressed and meet us outside because I wanna show you two around this place. Davia hasn't been away from your side the entire time and she hasn't seen it either." Rick informed them as he stood up and left.

"I need a shower bad…you up for conserving some water?" Daryl asked Davia.

"No, I had one early this morning. You go take a shower and I will meet you outside with the others." Davia said.

"Baby what's wrong? I thought you would like a little _alone_ time…" Daryl asked, concerned by Davia's lack of interest.

"Bad time of the month." She said dryly.

"Davia…it's more than that. What's going on?" He pushed.

"Everyone keeps asking that. I'm fine, we're fine, everything is gonna be fine." She said fighting back tears. "I'll see you outside." She said as she got up and headed out to meet with the rest of the group.

…

Daryl showered and met everyone within fifteen minutes of getting out of bed. His legs felt a little weaker than he would have liked, but he knew it was from the lack of use. He was pleasantly surprised to see the sun shining and the sky was a brilliant blue. Daryl took in the landscape and it was breathtaking. Huge snow covered mountains were off in the distance. They were actually up on a high point of land and he could see the bay and river from the camp. Deep forests surrounded them on all sides except for the west, which was the direction of the river and bay. He estimated they were about a half-mile away from the water and up high enough that flooding shouldn't be an issue.

He spotted a few glaciers and the size of the mountains trumped anything they had in Blue Ridge. At home the elevation was around three thousand feet or so, but here the peaks were upwards of fourteen thousand feet. It was truly an amazing thing to witness and he had always dreamed of coming out to a place like this to hunt for a few weeks.

Daryl soon found Rick and Davia and Rick began to show them around the camp. The numerous cabins were in different states of decay. Nothing that couldn't be repaired with a little bit of hard work. Abraham met them and began to give them the lay of the land.

The camp had a smokehouse that was usable, but needed a bit of work, as it hadn't been fired up in years. Most of the cabins were bunched together in a group, but there was one cabin that sat a little further back than the others. It was slightly smaller than the other cabins, but also looked like it needed the least amount of work done to it. Daryl looked at Rick "You mind if we check out that one?" Rick nodded in affirmation.

Daryl took Davia's hand and led her to the cabin. They walked up the steps and onto the small porch that was attached. One of the things he seemed to like about the cabin was the porch had a clear view of the bay, river, and mountains off in the distance. He also had an unobstructed view of the front gate, which meant if anyone or anything tried to breach the entrance then he would be able to spot it from the cabin.

Davia wasn't saying much and Daryl was concerned about her. "What do you think?" He asked.

"It's fine. When do you think we can move our stuff in?" She asked.

"Let me check a few things first." He told her. He went to the stove and lit the pilot light and to his surprise the oven and the burners worked.

"This is a good sign." He told her. The house had a few solar panels, so that meant that there would be a small amount of electricity. He flipped a light switch and two lights came on in the main room. There was an old pull out couch that was in decent shape, but it had a few worn places. "We can cover this with a quilt and it won't be noticeable." He said pointing it out to Davia. She just nodded as Daryl continued to check everything out. "I'll go up on the roof and sweep the chimney just in case there is something blocking the flu." He told her.

"Should you be doing that? You just got out of bed this morning." She asked.

"I'll be fine. I've done it before, and it's not that difficult." He assured her. Daryl then made his way to the kitchen sink, which had a hand pump. He pumped it a few times and the pump began to spit and sputter. Some rusty water came through at first, but after a few more pumps the water began to run clear. "Look, the water works good." He said, trying to be positive.

"Mm hmm." She replied

Daryl went and checked out the bathroom. There was a small natural gas operated hot water heater and he lit the pilot light on that as well and repeated the same action with the hand pump in the sink and bathtub. Both times he was pleasantly surprised that they seemed to be operating properly. "All is good in here." He said.

They both went into the master bedroom and though dusty, it was in good shape. "I think if we clean this up today we could spend the night in here, let's take a look at the other room and see what we have in there." He told her. And that is when Davia burst out into tears.

"Honey, what's going on?" Daryl said, not sure what to do with his inconsolable wife.

"This was supposed to be where are baby was going to sleep. Now it's not going to happen and I'm not sure I know how to deal with all of this. We've been here only a week and in that time you've almost died and our baby is most likely dead or gone from us forever." She said.

Daryl took Davia and pulled her too him. "Davia, we'll find her. I promise you that. I ain't gonna let you or Merle down. She couldn't have gone that far, and knowing her, she has found someone to take care of her and is most likely trying to find a way to dump Benny. They will both be back, she's gonna have that baby, and then we will find her a place more suitable for her lifestyle." He said trying to comfort her.

"No, its not gonna happen like that. She's probably somewhere in Homer, and we won't find her. Benny's probably dead by side of the road somewhere and she's gonna do something stupid to hurt the baby. She didn't want that baby and she's gonna find a way to get rid of it. The only reason she acted like she wanted it was because people gave her sympathy and attention. That is the ONLY way she will take care of herself…she doesn't love that child like we can and do. Don't you see Daryl? It's over, we won't get to be parents." Davia said sobbing even harder.

"Ain't true. I don't know how to explain it to ya Davia, but I feel deep in my gut that we are gonna find the baby and she is gonna be just fine. I can't have you worrying about it like this. You're wasting away to nothing and it ain't doing ya any good. You just gotta trust me darling. Can you do that for me?" Daryl said softly.

Davia looked up at him with her big brown eyes and long dark lashes "I can do that." She said.

"Good girl" He said as he pulled her tightly against his chest.

"Now let's get cracking on getting this place in order. I'm tired of sleeping with the group…Tyreese snores." He said, managing to get a giggle out of Davia.

…

Daryl and Davia worked diligently all day long to get the cabin in a livable condition. Daryl had pulled their SUV up to the front and the two unloaded all of their personal items. A few other people were able to move out of the lodge into the cabins as well. Rick and Carl had claimed a small two-bedroom cottage not far from Daryl and Davia and they also spent the day getting it so they could reside in the small residence. Just being on their own away from the rest of the group had picked up Davia's spirits. It was good to have Daryl up and around and back to his normal self.

Davia unpacked and hung up their clothes and then she unpacked the cooking items she had brought with her. There were a few more boxes of things that had been packed away in the large moving trucks and she would retrieve those later.

Daryl found a couple of old oil lanterns and set those up on the kitchen table (that Davia had dressed up with a linen table cloth she had brought), one on the coffee table in the main living area, and one on the bedside table. That would eliminate the need to use the lights and waste what little valuable electricity they had from the solar panels.

Daryl did as he promised and climbed up the on the roof to sweep the chimney. At first he wasn't sure of the integrity of the roof, but was pleased to find that it was sturdy and didn't appear to be rotted anywhere. He managed to clear out a few birds' nests and some old creosol build up and felt confident he had eliminated any chance of a fire hazard. He had taken the time to recommend to the rest of the group that they do the same thing before they thought about lighting their fireplaces.

While Daryl was getting the fireplace taken care of, Davia strenuously began scrubbing the floors, the walls, and the old furniture. It took her about two hours, but she had everything in a condition that she would consider sanitary. She placed fresh linens on the bed and added a couple of warm blankets and then finally covered it with a nice thick quilt she had found before they left Blue Ridge. It was enough that they should be plenty warm. There was a small gas heater in each of the bedrooms that were just big enough to put out enough heat to help with the warmth from the fireplace. The cabin was a bit drafty and Daryl had assured her that he just needed to do some work on the older logs outside to fill in some of the gaps that had formed over time.

The one thing they didn't have yet were some curtains to put over the window's for privacy. Davia decided she would ask Maggie if she could borrow the antique sewing machine they had opted to bring with them and then she could sew some curtains out of some extra sets of sheets she had carried from home.

Davia and Daryl spent the remaining few hours of daylight splitting and stacking firewood on the front porch. Exhaustion was taking over both of them, especially Daryl, but he seemed to be in much better spirits. Daryl was the type of person that always needed to be doing something physical, and setting up their home was a good distraction for him. Tomorrow Rick, Cesar, and he would be heading out once again to find Benny and April. So far, after three trips North towards Homer, no sign of the duo had been found.

Davia made her way back towards the main lodge and was given a weeks worth of food rations. Everyone had been in agreement that the food supplies would be stored in the main building and three times a week the group would gather and eat a community meal. Everything would be rationed out and Jacqui was in charge of keeping up with inventory so they knew exactly how much food they had. Hunting, Fishing, and gardening were next on the agenda and each person in the group was expected to contribute one way or another.

Carl saw Davia struggling with the boxes and quickly rushed to her side to help her carry the food to the cabin. It seemed like he wanted to tell her something and Davia addressed him "Carl is everything OK?"

"I think I owe you an apology." He said.

"Why is that? Did you do something wrong?" She questioned.

"It's what I didn't do. I knew Benny was planning on doing something with April and I didn't say anything. If I had, they might not have left. Benny was convinced she had feelings for him since he looked like Merle, and he thought she would have _sex _with him." Carl confessed.

Davia sighed. "Well, it would have been better if you had said something, but you couldn't of known they were gonna run off like that. You and Benny seemed to get close quickly…I'm sure he will be back. April isn't going to like babysitting him."

"I hope so. Duane and Sophia get along so well I feel like an outsider when I'm with them, plus they are a little younger. Benny and I had a lot in common. I hope he's OK." Carl said.

"I'm sure he is. This is just some craziness. Your dad and Daryl will go out to find them tomorrow, and I am going to trust they will have success." Davia told the young teen.

"Hope so." Carl said, but he didn't sound convinced.

…

Davia had made a simple dinner of cornbread, and beans. She had seasoned the beans with some salted pork they had brought from home and she sliced up some onions and stewed tomatoes they had brought with them as well. Apparently Daryl was tickled to death with the dinner because he barely spoke as he slopped the food into his mouth with reckless abandon.

"Do you like it?" She asked.

"Damn good. Nice to eat something that reminds me of home." He told her.

"How long are you on watch for this evening?" She asked.

"Eight to midnight." He told her.

"Who's on watch with you?" She asked.

"My pa." Daryl told her.

"Make sure you bundle up. Your coat is nice and clean and it would be great if you kept it that way. I'll pull out some thermals for you to wear underneath to keep you extra warm." She told him.

Daryl finished up his stew and got up and headed outdoors to smoke a cigarette "I'll be back in five." He told her giving her a quick kiss on top of her head.

Davia gathered up the dishes and carried them to the sink to wash up. It only took her a few minutes and as she was finishing the last of the dishes Daryl was making his way back in. He pulled out a box and placed it on the table.

"What's this?" She asked.

"It's a small short wave radio. Runs on batteries and I figured we could see if we can find some news. You can also hook your Ipod into it and play music. Why didn't you bring your guitar in?" He asked curiously.

"No time for music… too much other stuff going on right now." She said.

"Ain't too much for you not to still continue with your music Davia. It's part of you…an _important part _of you and you need to keep up with it. All of ya… Brad, Beth, and you. Just because things are different doesn't mean we can't still enjoy the little things in life. Besides, y'all might be all the entertainment we get from now on. The music doesn't have to die just because the world has gone to hell."

Davia ran over and gave Daryl a giant hug "I love you Daryl Dixon." She said.

"I love ya too Davia Dixon." He said back as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an embrace. Slowly he began to back towards the bedroom pulling Davia with him. She followed and as Daryl felt the backs of his legs hit the mattress he reached up underneath Davia's shirt and unclasped her bra, freeing her breasts.

She moaned at the sensation and pushed Daryl back on the bed as she pulled her shirt off. She then began to work at the buttons on his shirt and had them both shirtless within seconds. Daryl could feel her ample breasts and hardened nipples against his chest and he let out a low growl at the feeling of the flesh to flesh contact. It had been way too long and he was hard immediately.

"Do we have time?" She asked.

"Ain't gonna take long baby girl." He told her. She was on top of him gently kissing his neck and lapping the taste of him with her tongue.

"Mmmm Davia, feels so fucking good." He told her.

She smiled and began to work her way down to his collarbone, peppering him with soft kisses as she relished in the feeling of his body against hers. The warmth radiating from him felt heavenly. She opened her mouth and let her tongue languish against his nipples and Daryl's body jolted with the sensation. She opened her eyes to look at Daryl's face and caught a glimpse of someone standing in the window watching them.

"Ahhhh" She screamed as she jumped off of Daryl and pulled her arms across her chest covering herself up.

"What is it?" Daryl said jumping up quickly and making his way across the room to his crossbow.

"A man…A man was watching us." She said panting. Daryl grabbed his shirt and ran out onto the porch of the house and down the steps towards the back where the window to the bedroom was. It didn't take him long to find Eugene running from the cabin towards his own secluded cottage off towards the main lodge.

"Who the fuck are you and what the fuck were you doing?" Daryl challenged as he grabbed the man by the scruff of the neck.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you. I was just curious. A man like me doesn't get to witness the coupling of people that often and I thought I might get to enjoy watching you pleasure your woman. I meant no harm and it won't happen again." He said almost in tears.

"Who the FUCK are you?" Daryl asked again, by now Abraham had heard the shouting and rushed up on the duo. It was obvious Daryl was furious and Eugene was terrified.

"Eugene, what in the shit did you do now?" Abraham asked.

"Eugene?" Daryl asked, vaguely remembering Abraham mentioning him the first day they had arrived. He also remembered Abraham stating that the man was a bit strange.

"I didn't mean any harm, Just tried to get an eye full is all." Eugene said in earnest.

"We talked about this Eugene, you can't go around spying on people. Mr. Dixon if you could be so kind as to release Eugene it would be greatly appreciated. He's a bit…curious…and sometimes it gets him in trouble. He's actually a very skilled Scientist and mechanical engineer that has helped us out greatly. I am positive you won't have any issues with him anymore." Abraham said as he looked directly at Eugene.

"Most certainly you won't. I apologize for letting my unwarranted curiosity interrupt your potential lovemaking. It won't happen again I can assure you of that." Eugene said again.

"Best not." Daryl said dropping the man with mullet down to the ground. Daryl was now embarrassed that the entire camp (Who had now filtered out of the main lodge and their cabins after hearing he commotion) were making their way towards the small group. They all knew that Daryl and Davia were in the process of attempting to share an intimate moment together. Now it looked like that wouldn't be happening anytime soon.

Everyone quickly disbursed and Daryl swore he heard laughs coming from Shane and Lori. "Fuck em" he thought. "Ain't like they ain't ever had romantic moments."

By the time Daryl made it back to the cabin there wasn't any time to continue. "It's OK Daryl, we couldn't have gone much further anyhow…bad time of the month." She said and Daryl remembered her mentioning that earlier in the morning. "But if you wake me up when you get off watch tonight I can do a little something-something for ya." She said giving him a wink. Great, now he had an erection again thinking about Davia's beautiful mouth wrapped around him.

"Deal. I'm gonna change and then head out towards the gate." He said leaning in to give her a kiss. "Are you gonna be warm enough in here?" He asked.

"Plenty…and I'll warm you up when you get back." She said seductively.

…

It was close to ten at night and Daryl and Will had been on watch together for the past two hours. The father and son had talked and there was now a comforting peace between the two of them.

"Nora and Jacqui have become quite close. Normally a man would be kind of nervous to have his ex-wife and current wife getting along so well, but in this case I count it as a blessing." Will told his son.

"Both of them are good ladies…reckon you weren't worth fighting over." Daryl joked back at his dad.

"Something like that I guess. Nora is beside herself with worry about her boy. He's the same age you were when I left. He seems so young and it makes me realize how horrific it was for what I did to ya. You were just a boy and I just abandoned you and left you to fend for yourself." Will said sadly.

"Ain't nothing you can do about it now…the past is the past. Besides, you're here now ain't ya." Daryl said.

"I am here…without hesitation. Daryl I love ya son…wish I had told you that when you were younger, but to be honest I don't know that I did. At that time the only things in life I loved were my booze and your mother, and when she left…all that remained was the booze. God had given me the opportunity to at least be a part of your life now, and I have to thank you for accepting me." Will said

"It was hard…gotta admit. Honestly, if it hadn't been for Davia I ain't sure I would have. Not changing the subject, but I haven't had much time to talk to anyone much the past week. Is anything going on between Rick and Michonne?" Daryl asked.

"Who knows. They seem smitten with each other, but Rick has been focused on getting the group set up and Michonne keeps to herself. She always has." Will mused.

"She mentioned that she had a baby…what happened?" Daryl asked.

"Tragedy. She was involved with a guy named Mike. I think they were planning on getting married. She had a beautiful boy named Andre and he was her and Mike's world. That little boy was the smartest kid I ever met and so loving. Used to call me paw paw and could light up the world. About two years ago we were all going to meet at our house in Chattanooga for a fourth of July cookout, and Michonne was running behind because of work. Mike and Andre said they would meet her at the house, but they never made it. Drunk driver killed them just outside of Atlanta. Michonne went to a dark place after that. Closed herself off to the rest of the world. She stopped coming around to visit and we were really worried about her. She got herself heavily involved in Martial arts. I think it was a therapeutic release for her and in the past six months she started coming around again, but she still doesn't talk about it." Will informed Daryl.

"Damn, that's some heavy shit. Well maybe her and Rick can work something out. I know he's into her, he's dealt with quite a bit of his own shit in the past six months. I will say this, there aren't a lot of people in the world I trust, but I would trust Rick with my life. He's good people and he deserves happiness just like Michonne does." Daryl said.

"Son, you seem content. Even with everything going on with April and your brother, you seem happier than I've ever known you to be. You deserve it." Will said.

"We're gonna fine 'em…I know it. I promised Merle and I keep my promises." Daryl told his father.

…

It was getting close to midnight and Daryl's was thinking about the promise Davia had made him. He took a few drags on the cigarette he was smoking when some movement about thirty yards from the gate caught his attention. He stood up and pulled the night scope out of his bag.

"There's someone out there." He said to his father. Will stood up and focused his eyes on the movement in the grass. There was a full moon and it made it easy to see a figure stumbling down the road in front of them. It fell down and managed to get back up.

"Is it one of the walking dead?" Will asked.

"Can't tell." Daryl said. "Stay here and I'm gonna check it out." He said pulling his crossbow onto his back and taking his hunting knife out of its sheath. Daryl climbed down off the platform they were sitting on and walked out the front gate towards the stumbling figure. He had his knife ready just in case.

When he got close enough Daryl spoke out "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Daryl…it's me." The voice was weak, but he immediately recognized it as Benny.

"Benny?" Daryl said, but the young teen collapsed before he had a chance to make it to Daryl. He found the boy beaten and bloody, and most disturbingly, barely clothed. It couldn't have been more than twenty degrees outside and Daryl quickly pulled off his coat and wrapped it around his younger brother.

"I don't want to die." Benny whispered.

"Shhh…you ain't gonna die. I got ya Benny, just relax and let me get you to the doc." Daryl said as he picked the teen up. The kid couldn't have weighed more than 120 pounds and Daryl easily scooped him up and headed towards the gates.

Will hollered out "Who is it?"

"It's Benny and he's hurt bad…find Momma and tell her to head to the clinic. Hurry, ain't no time to waste." Daryl said.

He began to sprint toward Milton's and banged on the door when he got there. Andrea answered it wearing a robe and it was obvious that Daryl had woken them up. "Get the doc, It's Benny." He said. Andrea rushed off and Milton came out to meet them in the front room of the clinic. "Quick, bring him to the last room on the left." Milton instructed Daryl.

Daryl gently carried his baby brother to the room Milton instructed him and laid his broken body down on the bed. The kid was severely beaten and Daryl was scared to ask what else had happened to him. At this point Daryl had more questions than answers about what had occurred, but he didn't want to force Benny to answer any questions at this point. To be honest he was thankful that Benny was still breathing.

Just moments later Will, Jacqui, Rick, Nora, and Cesar all rushed into the clinic. Bob had been summoned and Sasha had gathered up Michonne to take over watch for Daryl and Will. Andrea had told everyone except for Nora and Cesar to wait in the front room.

Nora was hysterical when she saw her son's condition and Daryl quickly rushed to comfort his mother. "What happened?" She asked.

"I don't know momma, saw him stumbling up the road and though he was a walker. He recognized me and said my name before he collapsed. I don't know who or what did this too him, but I'm gonna find 'em and make 'em pay." Daryl said.

"You can't Daryl. I almost lost you and now I might lose him…I don't think I could bear that." She said tearing up.

"Shhh momma. It's gonna be OK. Ain't nothing more gonna happen to me, and Benny's gonna be just fine. He's stubborn as a damn mule. Hell, he made it back here from God knows where. Right now I ain't gonna do nothing until I get information from him. Don't forget, I was a cop before all of this and I'm gonna do this smart." Daryl assured her.

She nodded and he wrapped his arms around his mother offering her comfort. When the hell did Daryl become this man? Today he had comforted both of the women in his life, and both times it seemed like the natural thing to do.

Milton had asked everyone to leave the room so he could examine Benny in private and Daryl led his mother to the front waiting area with everyone else. Rick and the other few there asked questions and Daryl did his best at answering them, not really knowing any more than he did when he found Benny.

They waited for an hour before Milton emerged with Benny's prognosis. "He is suffering from Hypothermia, and has some pretty bad contusions. He said he was taken by a group of men the same day he and April left and they beat and tortured him until he was able to escape two days ago. He's been fighting to get back here ever since. I've stitched up a few wounds that he said were given to him from a knife and I gave him something for the pain. He's quite shaken up and I think for now he would be most comfortable if only Nora was with him when he wakes up. I'm not sure if he is emotionally ready to be around other men for right now."

"Is he gonna make it?" Daryl asked.

"He should. I don't believe he had any internal injuries, but I can't attest to his psychological state." Milton warned.

Nora took a deep breath "Take me too him."

Milton nodded and led her to her son. Daryl looked at Rick "They can't be too far away from here if he was able to get back in the state he is in."

"We'll look for them tomorrow when we go to find April. Maybe Benny will be able to give us some information before we leave." Rick replied.

"I don't want to push him. If he can, we'll take it, but if he can't we'll figure something else out."

"That's the best we can do." Rick replied.

Daryl asked Rick the time and he told him it was two in the morning. "Get some rest Daryl. We got another big day ahead of us. The fence around us is going to be the new priority and I want to double up on patrols. I'm going to get Michonne to start training everyone in weapons and self-defense. We can't risk getting caught unprepared. We don't know who or how many we are dealing with, but this is a dangerous group of men and we have to be ready."

Daryl nodded "Have her ready to start tomorrow."

**Sorry for the long wait on updating...It's been chaotic and I've been a little slack at writing and I apologize. Anyhow, I present you with a monster of a chapter in length. Sunday nights don't seem the same without "The Walking Dead." Miss my show, but I have to admit I'm a nervous wreck each week...There have been some new photo's of Mr. Reedus released this week from a photo shoot he did and Hubba Hubba...they are true works of art.**

**I'll update sooner, I promise.**

**Please don't forget to leave me a review. I'm going to challenge each and everyone of you that read this chapter to do so...even if it is a one word response. You don't realize how much it helps with story and character development. Also, would you guys be interested in a little more of Beth/Brad and Rick/Michonne's story? Anyone else for that matter?**

**Take care and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Hugs and Smooches-**

**Missy  
XXOO**


	31. Chapter 31

The next morning Daryl was up early and ready to hit the road with Rick. He explained to Davia what had transpired the night before while she made him breakfast and prepared him a thermos of coffee. She had bought an old fashioned percolator before they left Blue Ridge and had finally figured out how to make the coffee taste decent.

"If you can, would you mind staying with momma today? She's a wreck and I think you could calm her down. I'm gonna stop by and check on Benny before I go, but I don't know how long I'll be gone." He told her.

"I don't mind staying with her at all Daryl. I'm more worried about you being out there with those monsters." She said.

"Which ones? The walkers or the guys that got Benny?" He asked.

"Both." She replied.

"It's OK Davia, I know how to take care of myself and I'll have Rick with me. We will be well armed, which brings me to my next point." He said pulling a handgun out of the waste band of his cargo pants.

"A gun?" She asked.

"It's loaded. This is the safety right here." He said showing her. "You release it like this, aim, and fire. Take a breath before you release your shot and you have a better chance of the shot going true." He told her.

She nodded "You don't think they would attack us do you?"

"Don't know, but I ain't risking it. Michonne is gonna start training y'all today. Make sure you pay attention and do what she says. It's a new world Davia and I need to know you can take care of yourself if I'm not there." He said.

"I promise to learn as best I can Daryl. You know I'm not the most physically astute person around." She told him.

"Not true sweetheart. You're plenty physical…don't forget I've made love to ya." He said trying to give her some confidence.

Davia turned three shades of red "Daryl, come on, you're embarrassing me."

"No need to be embarrassed, you should be proud. Now come here and let me give you a proper goodbye before I head out." He said as she went to him and he gave her a long passionate kiss as he grasped her hands.

"Love ya baby girl." He said as he gave her hand a final squeezed and left out the front door.

Daryl walked over to the clinic to check up on his mother and brother. Milton greeted him and asked him how he was doing with his own injuries "Feel like a million bucks" Daryl said sarcastically.

"Glad to hear it." Milton said, oblivious to the sarcasm.

Daryl knocked on the door of the room Benny was in, and he heard his mother answer "come in."

Daryl entered the small room and saw that his young brother was still asleep. He had more color to him than he had the night before, but he was so badly bruised it was hard to pick out his facial features. Daryl was no stranger to beatings, but at least he had grown up with them. Benny was oblivious to how cruel the world could be and the kid was so small he wouldn't stand a chance against anyone attacking him. Daryl himself was small for his age until he hit eighteen. He assumed it was from a lack of nutrition as a child, but seeing Benny he wondered if it was an inherited gene from Nora.

"How's he doing?" Daryl asked quietly, in almost a whisper. His mother looked exhausted and Daryl could tell she hadn't got any sleep since he left her last night.

"No change. He's thrashed around a bit, but his body is worn out. He just needs to sleep. Daryl I don't know what happened to him, but it had to have been horrific." She confessed.

"He's a fighter momma. He made his way back here after whatever happened, happened. We'll get him through this, all of us. He's my family too and I ain't gonna let him suffer alone." Daryl assured his mother.

Nora nodded, tears once again streaking down her face. "I have tried so hard to protect him…to make up for not protecting you and Merle, and look what happened. If there was an award for being a shitty mother I think I would win it."

"Don't beat yourself up. You just got dealt a bad hand in life momma. You didn't know Pa was gonna turn out the way he did and Blake lied to ya about who he was. No one should have to deal with betrayal like that from they one they love. Benny's gonna be fine…we all are. I ain't gonna say I believe in a higher power like daddy does, but I do think there is a reason we are all here together." Daryl told his mother, trying to offer some words of comfort. Consoling people was out of Daryl's comfort zone, but this was his mother and he would be damned if he couldn't at least try.

"Daryl I'm so proud of you. Despite everything that happened to you in your life, you turned out to be such a remarkable man." Nora told him, grasping him a little tighter.

"I ain't nothing special. Just tried to do what was right…most of the time. Trust me, I didn't always do good." Daryl told his mother.

"Honey, we all make a few mistakes along the way…it's what we learn from them that determine how we turn out." Nora told her son.

Daryl nodded and gave a grunt "I reckon."

"Do you mind staying with Benny for a few minutes? Cesar is with Abraham and Morgan and I would love just to go splash some water on my face and freshen up a bit?" She told him.

"Go on, I'll be fine here for a bit." He told his mom.

Daryl sat down in a chair and observed Benny sleeping. He noticed that Benny's face would contort and the kid would thrash about, most likely re-living the nightmare he had experienced over the past few days. Daryl was familiar with childhood violence, and no kid deserved to suffer with it. He also knew that it wasn't just the physical hurt that lingered, but the psychological hurt was even worse. Daryl had carried it with him for thirty plus years, and was just now at a point in his life where he was coming to grips with it. He had slowly began to forgive his father, but he would never forget. It cost him everything, including his mother and that was something he didn't think he would ever be able to fully overcome that trauma.

While deep in thought he looked over at Benny and was surprised to see Benny looking at him. "Hey little brother, how are you doing?"

"Where's momma?" Benny replied in a whisper.

"She stepped out for a minute. Don't try to talk little man, I'm with ya now and no one is gonna leave you alone until your ready." Daryl told the younger boy.

"Thank you." Benny said as tears slipped down his face.

"Don't you worry about nothing Benny. I'm gonna find the folks that did this and they won't be able to hurt you or anyone else ever again. Mark my words." Daryl assured his brother as he reached out and patted him gently on the upper arm.

Benny simply nodded and closed his eyes, slipping back into sleep. Nora returned to the room shortly thereafter and Daryl told her that Benny had briefly awoken. She smiled slightly at that news.

"So what's next Daryl?" She asked.

"Rick and I are going out to try to find April, and then we will put a plan in place to secure the camp better and try to find the assholes that did this to him." He informed her.

"Good." She simply replied.

"Gotta go now. Davia is going to spend some time with you today. Make sure you get some rest." Daryl said.

"I'll do what I can son." She said as Daryl got up and left to meet Rick.

…

Rick and Daryl departed shortly after Daryl checked on his mother and Benny. Since Benny was in no condition to offer any help on where April might be, Daryl needed to make a call on what direction they had headed in.

"Rick, when I found Benny last night he was coming from the South, not the North in the direction of Homer. You've headed North each time you have looked for them and haven't had any luck, so why don't we try the road Southward and see what we can find." Daryl asked.

"It can't hurt. Why don't you check the map and see how many different road options we have." Rick said as he pulled out and headed South.

"According to the map there aren't really any roads, just the Kenai Peninsula State Park and some old abandoned fish camps. There is a small marina about twenty miles from here, but that's it." Daryl informed Rick. Since their camp was on the Eastern side of the bay, they had to head North to get to Homer, which was actually due west of them, but because of the bay and the mountainous terrain, they had to head in a different direction to get access to the road. And using the term road was actually pushing it. The roads were more like cleared out pathways. When the group first arrived a week earlier it was questionable as to whether or not they were going to be able to get the vehicles through. The Alaskan road system really was about as rudimentary as imaginable.

"We'll start then by checking out the camps. It's a good thing this vehicle has four-wheel drive, because I'm not sure we could make it much further without it." Rick said as he maneuvered Daryl's vehicle through the muddy and rutty roads.

After driving and hour south at a painstakingly slow speed Daryl spotted Rick's SUV parked on the side of the road. "Looks like the vehicle is intact, but I ain't sure why it would be parked here." Daryl said. He and Rick cautiously got out of their vehicle to investigate.

A part of Daryl was afraid of what they might find. The last thing he wanted to see was April's dead body in or around the parked car. As he checked the area for any sign of tracks Rick got in to see if he could get the vehicle to start. "I see now why she stopped here. The SUV is on dead empty. She couldn't go any further if she wanted too." Rick told Daryl.

"I see some tracks in the mud, but they have pretty much washed away. Looks like she still headed out South. The good news is that I only see one set of tracks, so that means she was alone when she stopped. Doesn't appear anyone or anything was with her. " Daryl stated.

"Well I don't know if that's a good thing, but at least it doesn't appear she was taken against her will." Rick replied.

"Where the fuck could she have gone?" Daryl said half to himself and half out loud.

"There aren't a lot of options out here. Let's continue down the road and see if we can find anything that will give us a clue." Rick said.

"Alright, keep your eyes open, I can't imagine she got too far on foot being in her condition." Daryl said worriedly. Daryl had more than one concern. One was the temperature and the fact that she could have frozen to death out here if she didn't find shelter. The other was the wild life in the area. Grizzly bears were his biggest worry, but with it being mid December the bears probably weren't active, so that might be working in her favor. His greatest concern though was the individuals that had gotten to Benny. What if they had found April and committed some heinous act of violence against her. Women were rare in these parts and April was an attractive and overtly sexual woman. It would not bode well for her if they had found her alone out here in the wilderness. Daryl took a deep breath and closed his eyes "Merle I need your help with this one." He whispered to himself.

Daryl and Rick filled up Rick's abandoned vehicle with gas and continued southward. After another hour it was obvious that there weren't really any visible places she could have gone. Daryl had hoped and prayed they would find her and be able to bring her back. Maybe if he sat down one on one with April and pleaded with her about what Merle would have wanted he could get her to open up her eyes and see it was the best for the child. Now they were heading back empty handed and he was going to have to give the bad news to Davia.

…

April woke up wrapped in a warm blanket in a comfortable bed. She didn't have any idea where she was, but as good as she felt, she didn't care. The last thing she remembered was freezing and intense pain in her ankle that she injured when she twisted it on a tree root. She could smell coffee and baking bread and for a minute she thought she had possibly died. She wasn't sure how many days earlier it had been when she had run out of gas in the stolen vehicle and took to walking. She didn't know where she was going, but she knew she had to get away from that group. April knew she had burned her bridges with those people, and a small part of her regretted it, but the other part of her, the rebellious side was ready to say "Good Riddance" to them all.

She was brought from her thoughts when a soft-spoken man entered the room carrying a tray of food for her. There was warm bread with strawberry jam, juice, eggs, and sausage on a plate for her. At first she was apprehensive to accept the food, since she had no idea who this dark skinned man was that was treating her so kindly. Normally she would have said something rude to man of color, but there was something about him…a goodness she didn't see in many people, that wouldn't allow her to do so.

"Glad to see you are up. How are you feeling?" He asked her.

"Rested. Can I ask where I am, and who you are?" She inquired.

"I'm Father Gabriel Stokes and you are at a monastery on the Kachemak Bay. I was on my way to Homer to retrieve my monthly supplies when I spotted you on the side of the road." He informed her.

Immediately she reached down to feel her belly and was rewarded with a fluttering inside of her womb "Thank you." She whispered.

"I assume you are about five months along into your term?" He asked, holding his breath that he was right and that she didn't just have a slight weight issue.

"Yeah, your correct. Look, you took a pretty big risk of bringing me here. There are some people that I did pretty wrong and I ran off from them. They are most likely looking for me and I don't want to bring any trouble towards you or the others here." She said. She couldn't believe she just spoke those words, certainly she must have hit her head somewhere along on her journey.

"I did the Christian thing bringing you here. I am not your judge, but obviously the Lord sent me out on that road for a reason. You are more than welcome to stay here as long as you need. That being said, there is a mid-wife who attends this Parish and you may want to have her check you over." The minister informed her.

April nodded in agreement. "Father, do you take confession?"

"I do." He said.

"Good, I have a lot of things I want to get off of my chest." She told him.

That was three days ago.

…

After Rick and Daryl had no luck at finding April, Rick decided it was time for Daryl to meet the camp's closest neighbor, Zeek Lindstrom. Rick had met him earlier in the week, and well, no words could sum up the experience. He decided it was best for Daryl to meet the man himself and draw his own opinions.

After they returned to camp to check in Daryl made the long walk up the stairs to the cabin and walked in. Davia was singing for the first time in a while and she hadn't heard him come in. She was startled at first but then her eyes lit up when she saw he was back and was in one piece. He walked over to her and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"I'm sorry babe, but we didn't find her. How's momma and Benny? Did Michonne start on training?" He asked.

"First of all, you don't have to apologize Daryl, it's not your fault. We'll find her, I know it." Davia said.

Apparently his talk with her the previous day had restored her faith.

"Your mom is doing as well as can be expected and Michonne is starting the training tomorrow morning after everyone is done with chores. Benny hasn't really woke and Milton keeps assuring her that it's from exhaustion. The poor kid has been through a rough trauma and I just hope we can help him through the healing process. I know you don't like to talk about your past, but maybe you could offer him words of encouragement Daryl. He's gonna need his big brother." Davia said.

"I ain't no shrink, but I will try to help as best I can. I don't even want to think about what happened to him out there. He's gonna need all of us, Carl too." Daryl said.

"Carl's a good boy Daryl. He genuinely cares about people. Life hasn't jaded him yet." Davia remarked.

"I've gotta go out for a few hours. Rick is going to introduce me to the neighbors. I've seen one his girls hanging around Tara but I ain't introduced myself to her or nothing. " Daryl told her.

"I wonder if her and Tara have a 'thing' going." Davia commented.

"Huh? What kind of 'thing'?" Daryl asked confused.

"Daryl, Tara is into other girls. You didn't notice that?" Davia said, laughing.

"Nah, didn't pick up on that…been too busy with other things." He said.

"I didn't mean to imply that the Great Hunter was off his game, I thought you just might have noticed is all. Doesn't matter to me one way or another anyhow. The only two people's sex life I'm concerned about is yours and mine. " She admitted.

"Yeah, well I was kinda looking forward to last night, but with everything that happened to the kid there wasn't any way I could have focused on that. But trust me woman the next time we get a chance your gonna scream out my name. First things first, how are those curtains you mentioned coming along? Don't need the creeper watching us."

"I should finish them tomorrow. And yes, they will be going up immediately. That guy Eugene freaks me out." Davia confessed.

"That makes two of us. I'm gonna go check on Momma once again and then head out with Rick to meet the neighbors." Daryl told her offering her a kiss as he departed.

…

After Daryl left there was a knock at the door and Davia opened it to find a very flustered Beth.

"What's wrong?" She asked immediately.

"Men…they are just so…so…fucking complicated." Beth said in frustration.

"Yeah, and they say we are the ones that are hard to figure out. What's going on Bethy?" Davia asked.

"Brad. I can't figure him out. We spent so much time together riding here to Alaska. We talked about everything. He told me about his ex-wife and how devastated he was when she cheated on him. I told him I could relate because of what Zach had done and he said we had a lot in common. Then we talked about music and how he got into the business and he would let me snuggle up to him and sleep when it was his turn to drive. I really thought he was into me!" Beth exclaimed.

"What makes you think he isn't Beth?" Davia questioned.

"Because when we were discussing everyone choosing cabins I asked if we could share and he said it wasn't 'proper'. Ugh. Why does everything think I'm just this innocent child?" Beth said in an exasperated tone.

"Well first of all, I think it's honorable that he respects you enough not to cheapen your relationship. Maybe he's an old-fashioned guy Beth. After all, look what happened with his first wife? I don't blame the guy for wanting something different, since the first relationship didn't go so well. Second of all, has anything romantic happened between the two of you? Has he expressed his feelings towards you?" Davia asked.

"He told me he is attracted to me, but he is concerned about the age difference and what others will think. I told him it didn't matter. Daddy was twenty years older than mama was and they were deeply in love with each other. We shared a kiss…a really GOOD kiss, but he stopped things shortly thereafter." Beth confessed to Davia.

"Knowing Brad the way I do, I think he has a lot of doubt about himself. Think about it Beth, he realizes you are fresh out of your relationship with Zach and he probably wants to be sure you are ready for a relationship. The other thing is that he most likely is aware of the fact that your very Religious father will be living just a few feet from you as well. Hershel is a sweet and loving man, but I wouldn't want to cross him. Brad probably feels the same way." Davia said offering some advice.

"You're probably right. It's just…SO FRUSTRATING. My feelings for Brad are so different than what I felt with Zach. Zach was my first, and he totally turned out to be someone completely different than what I expected. But he began to change over the past six months, and when he decided to break it off with me I can't say I was surprised or that I really was devastated. He was not the same Zach I fell in love with. Brad is older and more mature, and I really like that. I want him so much Davia." Beth said.

"Give it time Beth. He admitted he cares for you, just let the relationship take it's own course. I am by no means an expert on relationships, I've only got the one with Daryl to go by, but I've seen a lot of women throw themselves at men, and if you do that with Brad, I don't think it will be successful. Don't forget he's used to slutty groupies chasing after him. I've known Brad for several years, and I was always impressed with how he brushed those women off. Brad was raised with morals and he never let go of those values. Beth, he really is worth the wait." Davia said giving her young friend a reassuring smile.

Beth let out a sigh "I guess your right. For now he and T-dog are going to share a cabin and Daddy, Glenn, Maggie, and I are going to move into a three bedroom cabin down by the livestock area."

"Why don't you surprise Brad and T-dog and make them dinner. I bet that would go a long way with impressing both of them. Speaking of…where are they today?" Davia inquired.

"They opted to go down to the bay to see if they could catch some halibut. One of Mr. Lindstrom's daughters…I think her name is Corrine, said she was going to show them how to prepare them so that they can be smoked and preserved. Corrine is my age, and I think she has a little crush on T-dog." Beth informed Davia.

"I heard that the neighbors had seven daughters. I reckon there isn't a lot to do on the cold nights around here except 'warm each other up'" Davia joked.

"I met the oldest daughter, Liesel. She and Tara are 'close' and have been spending a lot of time together, but I haven't really met anyone else." Beth said.

"Daryl is on his way over there now to meet Zeek and his wife. Abraham has said they are a valuable asset and willing to help us out with learning the area. The only thing they offer in exchange is protection if it should be needed. I think that is a fair exchange." Davia said.

"I agree…I have to imagine having seven daughters in the Alaskan wilderness had to be a challenge for the Lindstrom's. Abraham said that Old Zeek is very protective of his girls. He would keep them locked up on his property if it wasn't for his wife Ingrid, who Abe says, is really the one in charge. I would actually love to meet them." Beth mused.

"Well next week is Christmas, maybe we could have a dinner and celebration…and get to know them." Davia suggested.

"That's a really good idea. We can suggest it to Rick and the others. You know Davia, talking to you has made me feel a lot better and you give out really good advice. I think it's a gift. I'm going to get out of here for now, but thanks for everything." Beth said as she got up to give Davia a big hug.

"One thing Bethy, if things between you and Brad do start to progress, make sure you put up some curtains. That mullet guy is a lurker and I bet he would love nothing more than to get an eye full of a cute little blonde like you fooling around with Brad." Davia said laughing out loud.

"Gross. But dually noted." Beth said shaking her head.

…

Daryl stopped in and checked on his mother and brother. He found Cesar in the room with the two, Nora asleep in his arms. Not wanting to wake his mother he whispered "How's everything going?"

"Your mother is exhausted. Benny woke a few hours ago and she was able to get some food into him. He's eager to get out of here and we told him about the cabin we had picked out. It's not much, but it's a start." Cesar said.

"You two don't have to whisper, I'm awake." Benny groaned.

"How ya feeling kid?" Daryl asked.

"Like Shit, but glad I'm back." He said.

"You ready to talk about what happened yet?" Daryl asked.

"Some of it." He said.

"I'll let you start when you are ready." Daryl told his brother.

"I guess you figured out the first stupid mistake I made was that I trusted April. Thought she was really into me…I was a fucking fool." Benny said.

Cesar scolded the younger man "Language Benny…your mother doesn't want to hear you talk like that."

Benny laughed "Wouldn't be the first time, besides, she's asleep right now."

"Anyhow, we were going to head towards Homer, and she changed her mind and said we should go south. Sounded like a good idea since y'all wouldn't have expected it. The only problem was there wasn't any towns south of here. There were just a few empty camps, a wilderness area, and a marina that was over run with those dead folks. I guess the disease has made it here. Anyhow, after the first day she pretty much had grown tired of me and pulled out a gun and told me to get out of the car. She said she had to fend for herself and she didn't want a punk kid slowing her down. So that was pretty much where we parted." Benny told him.

"Where were you when who ever did this to you found ya?" Daryl asked.

"I was heading back here when a group of men in a truck stopped and asked me if I wanted a ride. They were a rough bunch, but I was freezing and at least twenty miles from here, so I accepted. Biggest mistake of my life." Benny said, his breaths were beginning to come in quick pants. Daryl could see how upset his younger brother was and he reached out and put his hand on his shoulder for support.

"Benny, you don't have to say anything more if you don't want too." Daryl told him.

"I can't talk about it…not yet." Benny said as tears burst out of his eyes.

Daryl nodded at him and Cesar was visibly shaken by how distraught Benny was. Normally Benny was a pretty calm and laid back kid, and seeing him this upset let Cesar know that whatever happened to him was more traumatic than Benny was able to handle currently. Daryl then spoke "Just get better kid. If I head South do you think I have a chance of finding them? What type of truck were they driving?"

"They are definitely south, and it was a gray Chevrolet truck, and older model, with a red door. Should have been my first clue not to trust them." Benny said.

"You didn't know, and you were desperate. I'm sorry this happened to you Benny, but you gotta stay strong. If you wanna talk about it then I'm willing to listen." Daryl told him. He wasn't sure what he would say, but he could at least listen.

"Thanks brother." Benny whispered still too upset to speak. Benny closed his eyes and Daryl reached over and placed his hand on his brother's forehead, sweeping some hair that had fallen into his eyes off of his face. It broke Daryl's heart to see someone so young in Benny's condition. Apparently Benny felt comforted by Daryl's gesture as he slipped into sleep at the feel of his brother's touch. Daryl was gonna find the monsters that did this to his baby brother, and when he did it wasn't going to bode well for them.

…

Daryl left his family to find Rick and the two men opted to walk the quarter mile over through the woods to the Lindstrom homestead. When they arrived at the house Daryl's mouth dropped open at the sheer size of the dwelling. It was a huge log cabin that had to be at least six thousand square feet and it had an incredible view of the bay. A magnificent wrap around porch encompassed all four sides of the home and there was even a crow's nest on the roof. The sound of barking dogs filled the air and Daryl noticed a pack of huskies in a deluxe dog pen off to the left of the house. He assumed they were sled dogs and that had him intrigued.

"This place is massive." Daryl said to Rick.

"Just wait until you meet Zeek, he's a pretty massive guy." Rick mused.

Daryl and Rick walked up the steps of the front porch and Rick knocked on the door. An older blonde haired woman answered the door and gave both men a warm smile "Rick, You're back." She exclaimed in her heavy Norwegian accent.

"Thought I would bring Daryl over here to meet y'all" Rick said.

"Zeek…We've got guests." She bellowed towards her husband that was somewhere in the house. In just a matter of moments a hulking six foot something man with a long beard and even longer blonde hair joined his wife in the front foyer of his home. Daryl took in the sight of larger than life man and swallowed hard. His hands had to be twice the size of Daryl's and the man possessed blue eyes that were so piercing they could cut through steel. Had Rick not met the man first, Daryl would be alarmed at the menacing aura the man exuded.

"Ah…Rick good to see you my friend." Zeek said in a jovial manner. Daryl wondered if the man was a gentle giant.

"So you're the great hunter Rick has told me about." The older man said in his heavy accent, giving Daryl a rough, but friendly slap on the back.

Daryl nodded.

"And a quiet one too." Zeek teased.

"Nice to meet you." Daryl finally managed to get out.

"If you're interested I'm going on a hunt in the morning with my oldest daughter Liesel if I can manage to pull her away from your Tara. You interested in joining us?" Zeek barked out.

"Mr. Dixon I'm Ingrid…the wife of this Crazy man here." She said pointing to the large man. "You have to overlook Zeek, he has the manners of a cat. Liesel is the oldest of our seven daughters and she likes to go with the girls…sort of the son we never had." She joked.

Daryl was at a loss for words. Obviously the family was very accepting of their oldest daughters lifestyle, and he admired them for that, he just wasn't so used to people being so open about such things. Growing up in Blue Ridge he had become accustomed to people being judgmental of anyone that was different. They didn't call the South the Bible belt for nothing. He himself had felt the judgement of those in town and resented how others saw him. It was a breath of fresh air to meet people that didn't seem to care about anything but the actual character of an individual.

Rick then spoke "We found one our group that had gone missing earlier in the week. He had been beaten severely by a group of men that stumbled on him. The kid is only fourteen years old. The other one who left with him still hasn't been found and we were wondering if you had any idea where she might have gone. We know they headed south instead North towards Homer."

"Hmmm…South means towards the marina. There are several fish camps that haven't been used that I'm aware of. If she made it to the marina she could have found someone to take her across the bay via a boat." Zeek informed them.

"Shit." Daryl said out loud. "She's five months pregnant and doesn't need to be out endangering the baby. That's my brother's daughter she's carrying and he wanted me to protect his child. April can't be trusted."

Ingrid's eyebrows perked up when Daryl mentioned the pregnant woman. "Wait, you said she was about five months pregnant? Father Gabriel found a woman earlier in the week that is pregnant and he is offering her shelter at the monastery. He came by to take me to her so I could check her over since I am a midwife. The poor thing was dehydrated and had an injured ankle she told me she received fleeing from Homer. She wouldn't tell me her name though."

Zeek interjected "Homer has been over run. I tried to head there this morning and was met with a small herd of those walking dead ones along the way. I was forced to turn around. We haven't been able to get any communication from anyone in town in two days. It's actually a good thing she headed South. Now as far as the group of men that attacked the boy…that needs to be handled. I've got seven girls to keep safe and I can't risk those fuckers harming them. I'll make a deal with you Hunter, I'll go with you to the church to see if this woman is the one you are looking for, and in exchange we will go see if we can hunt this group that harmed the boy."

Daryl didn't even have to think about his response "Deal. How soon can you be ready to leave?"

"How about now?" Zeek replied.

"Let's do this then." Daryl simply said, looking to Rick who nodded in affirmation.

"Daryl I'm gonna let you and Zeek handle this. I am going to head back to the camp and discuss with Abe and Morgan ramping up patrols. I'm also going to have a few men come over here and keep an eye on your home while you and Daryl are away. Do you have any objections to that?" Rick asked cautiously.

"Like I said Rick, my daughters and wife are my most precious possessions. We will gladly accept the assistance. It looks like we are all going to busy building up our fortifications. I knew the dead ones were a threat, but those motherfuckers who hurt the boy…that's another story. If I catch them even sniffing around my girls I will cut their dicks off and shove them down their throats…and just so you know, that goes for ANYONE who threatens my family." Zeek said bluntly.

Rick nodded "Understood. The same for our group as well. I think we are going to work together very nicely Mr. Lindstrom."

"Good, I'm glad we have an understanding. Now let's go get your brother's baby girl Dixon." Zeek said giving Daryl a blinding smile.

**Next chapter there will be quite a bit of Walker action. Zeek is a larger than life character and I hope to portray him as such. Would anyone be offended if I wrote some shorter chapters? I think If I do I can post smaller updates sooner. At one point I was able to write a chapter a day, but I am struggling with a work/writing balance. I have SO much going on in my head I want to put down.**

**Please Please Please leave me some reviews. It seems that the stories that involve Beth/Daryl get tons and tons, but people don't really seem to like Daryl/OC stories. But I want to write something different, and I don't want to basically re-write the TWD story, only to have the changes be I inserted another character. **

**I would love your opinions. I also want to take the time to wish all the mothers out there a "HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!"**

**I am thankful for all the reviews and support I get on my stories and appreciate each and everyone of you that read, review, and leave me comments.**

**Take Care...**

**Hugs and Kisses to you all...**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	32. Chapter 32

Zeek's driving reminded Daryl of a ride at an amusement park. The road was only a suggestion as to where to drive the vehicle. The Viking only seemed to know one speed, and that was way too fast for the conditions of the road. Daryl hung on tight and didn't think that wearing a seatbelt was going to offer any type of protection in the fiery crash he was certain was going to be the end to him. He looked over at the older man and noticed the guy was smiling ear to ear, taking pleasure in terrifying the younger man.

"Buck up Dixon, my driving is the least of your worries in this place. I'm sure you wanna bring that girl back sooner rather than later." He said laughing. Daryl just grunted in response.

It seemed like just a matter of minutes before Zeek turned onto a small path only noticeable by a tiny red reflector on the left side of the road. Daryl knew he and Rick had been down this way earlier, but neither man had really taken notice of the reflector or the path, as it was pretty much covered with overgrowth. Zeek drove another mile or so and they came upon a church that sat atop a cliff that overlooked a small inlet that lead out to the bay. Daryl could not deny that Alaska afforded stunning vistas that he had only read about in books or seen on television. To actually see them was an indescribable feeling.

"What else is in this area?" Daryl asked.

"A couple of miles down is a large dock and Marina. Some of the Alaskan cruise ships dock there and run tours shuttling people through the wilderness area and up to Homer for shopping. Sometimes there are as many as two thousand people that come in on those ships. Assholes think they are getting the true Alaskan experience by coming in that way, but they haven't got a clue what it's like to be Alaskan. It's a hard life ain't it ain't for the weak." Zeek said.

"What did you do before all of this?" Daryl inquired of the man.

"Ha…made a lot of fucking money. Worked my ass off gold mining, then I bought a few crab boats and gave that a go. Still have one up on the Bering Sea, named her _Ingrid _after the Mrs. Also lucked out about ten years ago and found out we had oil on our land outside of Homer. We've got a few wells that paid off nicely. Spent most of my time managing the businesses and the down time was spent with my ladies and hunting. My oldest daughter can hunt better than most men, and if you ever make the mistake of challenging her ability because she is female…God help ya. She's a tough one." Zeek mused.

Daryl gave a wry smile to the man and nodded in appreciation. If it was possible to have a man crush, Daryl now possessed one for Zeek. Zeek Lindstrom was a man's man and represented everything Daryl wanted to be in the world. There was no evidence of drinking or abuse, and Zeek had a confidence about him that left no doubt he was not to be fucked with.

Daryl and Zeek headed towards the back of the Parish instead of into the main sanctuary. Zeek knocked loudly and was greeted by the Parish Priest, Father Gabriel. The man looked a bit bewildered to see none other than Zeek Lindstrom standing at the back door. Ingrid and a few of their girls were faithful parishioners, but Zeek very rarely made the effort to attend services. In fact, the only few times he remembered the man attending was at the confirmation of his daughters when they came of age.

"Mr. Zeek, what brings you around?" The priest stated, now noticing the shaggy haired man standing with the large Norwegian.

"Looking for a girl my wife was treating for ya. She's put quite a scare in a lot of people and this man has been looking for her over the better part of a week." Zeek told him.

"She said someone would most likely come looking for her. She's feeling poorly, but she is staying in the living quarters. Follow me and I will take you to her." Gabriel said obligingly.

Daryl and Zeek followed Gabriel back to the small apartment at the back of the church. Sure enough, April was laid up in bed, looking pale and gaunt. She looked up to see Daryl and the Viking man and simply stated "You found me."

Daryl wanted to scream and shout at her, give her a lecture, but she looked ill. He knew getting angry would do absolutely no good, so he spoke to her softly…trying a different approach. "April you need to come home. We can work this out, but you need to be somewhere that we can help you take care of yourself and the baby."

April nodded. "You're right Daryl. I should have never done what I did. I ditched Benny shortly after we left, and I know I broke the kid's heart. It wasn't intentional, but I needed him to get out of there." She admitted.

"We'll talk about it later…let's get you back and let the Doc take a look at ya." Daryl said softly. Zeek closely watched the interaction, but didn't say anything. He wasn't stupid and could tell the Georgia country boy was trying hard to curb his anger

"April, When we get back you can stay with Davia and me in the extra room. We'll make sure you are comfortable and that you get treated fairly. Ain't gonna do no one any good if you are miserable. I owe Merle a healthy baby, and you are the key to that little girl being healthy." Daryl told her.

April couldn't believe the change in Daryl, he was actually being kind to her. "Daryl, it might be best if I stayed somewhere else. I've said and done some pretty bitchy things to Davia, and I am sure the last thing she wants is me staying under your roof and invading your privacy."

"Look, she ain't gonna be happy about it at first, but maybe an apology from you would go a long way. She's a good woman with a big heart, and she never deserved the things you or Lori said or did to her, but I also know she is a forgiving person. It's your choice." He told her.

April simply nodded. "I'll do what I have to Daryl."

"Are you OK to walk? Wanna get you out of here and home as soon as we can." Daryl stated.

"Yeah, maybe just a little help getting up and a shoulder to lean on to get to the truck. Maybe Milton has some crutches I can use when we get back." April said.

Daryl and Zeek helped her up and they headed towards the door. When they opened the door none of them were prepared for what they saw before them. No less than a hundred walkers were mulling around the parking lot, most likely drawn to the area by the sound of the truck when it drove to the church. "Shit!" Daryl said out loud.

"Double Shit." Zeek said louder. "The weapons are all in the truck. Didn't think about bringing them into a House of God."

Daryl had a knife strapped to his belt, but that was it. His crossbow was also in the truck along with his handgun. Zeek looked at Daryl "Give me your knife, and I'll go get the truck."

Father Gabriel interjected "Zeek, that's gonna get you killed."

"If we stay here those things are gonna overrun this place and kill us all. You wouldn't happen to have any weapons around here would you?" Zeek asked.

"There's a shotgun…for protection against the wildlife, but I don't know how to use it." The man of God replied.

"Where?" Daryl shouted.

"In the office on the gun rack. I believe the shells are in the bottom right desk drawer." Gabriel said.

"You stay here and listen to everything Zeek says." Daryl commanded April and Gabriel. He quickly took off towards the office and then returned with the shotgun and a box of shells.

Zeek addressed the group "Daryl, you cover me with the shotgun. We'll create a diversion that will draw the dead ones away long enough for me to get to the truck. They'll swarm quickly once they realize there are living humans in the area, so we have to act fast. I pull up as close to the door as I can, and then you each rush to the truck. Got it?"

All three nodded in agreement. Gabriel then spoke "I'll pray for your safe journey."

"You're coming with us. Ingrid would kill me if I left her beloved priest behind. This place is lost and you won't survive an hour on your own. Now we need to come up with something to create a diversion." Zeek said.

"Father, do you have any communion wine?" Daryl asked.

Zeek smiled, knowing what Daryl had in mind. Gabriel disappeared and returned with a box of twelve bottles of wine. "Need some cloth too." Daryl said. The best the Father could provide was a white T-shirt. Daryl ripped the shirt into strips and then opened the wine. He then let the strips soak. He did this with four of the bottles. He then looked at Zeek "You ready?"

Zeek nodded. Daryl loaded the shotgun and then handed it to Gabriel. "Hold this just long enough for me to toss these." He then handed one to Zeek as well. Zeek lit his make shift distraction as he headed out the door. The flames spread rapidly as he tossed the alcohol soaked cloth and bottle and it hit the ground about fifty feet away. Sure enough, the herd of walkers became attracted to the sound and sight of the bottle and the ensuing fire. Zeek made a run for the truck as Daryl tossed another bottle in the opposite direction of Zeek and then Daryl grabbed the shotgun from Gabriel.

Zeek made it to the truck, but not before Daryl was forced to fire a shot and take out a wayward walker that had its mind set on making Zeek it's next meal. The sound of the blast unfortunately drew more of the walkers from the woods and the numbers encircling the parking area were doubling. Zeek managed to get in the truck and get it started then drove the short distance to the back door of the church. He threw the door open and Daryl practically carried April and dragged the priest into the truck. The trio managed to make it in the truck safely, but in the short time that Zeek had to stop to let everyone in it allowed the parking area to fill back up and the undead were now making their way towards the foursome.

"Go Go Go!" Daryl shouted.

Gabriel was panicking and offering up prayers and April had curled in on herself, terrified as the corpses were beginning to beat against the truck. They were now completely swarmed and as Zeek tried to get the truck to move but it was struggling greatly with the weight of the undead pushing on the vehicle from all sides.

"Where are the weapons?" Daryl asked.

"In the toolbox in the bed of the truck." Zeek said. This wasn't going to be easy. Daryl crawled into the back seat and slid open the back window allowing him access to the bed of the truck and the toolbox. In order to get inside the box, he was going to have to completely leave the confines of the truck.

"Father…you take the wheel." Zeek said, startling the terrified man.

"What…I can't." Gabriel responded.

"Yes you can and you will. Daryl and I will clear out a path and as soon as we give you the signal you gun it and head for the road. Don't stop and just keep going. I can't have you pussying out on me for this…got it?" Zeek bellowed.

Before Gabriel had a chance to respond Zeek followed Daryl through the back window and into the bed of the truck. The dead were trying desperately to grab for the two men, and fortunately they hadn't figured out yet how to crawl up into the truck. Daryl was surprised to see how easily the giant man slid through the back window and was thankful for the assistance he was offering.

"Grab the guns, if we stay in the back it's just a matter of time before we're their dinner. We can fight them off through the sunroof. We can lay down fire with the automatic weapons and clear out a path. If the good Father there can build up enough speed we should be able to power through. You ready?" Zeek asked.

"It's as good as time as any to die." Daryl said, praying silently that he would be able to make it through this and get April to safety, and be able to see his Davia again.

"We ain't gonna die Dixon, you'll be home in time for dinner." Zeek said laughing out loud. The man had more confidence than anyone Daryl had ever met, and that made him like the guy even more.

Daryl and Zeek began firing on the group of walkers surrounding the front of the vehicle, mowing them down and allowing the truck to move forward as Zeek yelled at Gabriel to gun the motor. Daryl and Zeek continued taking out the walkers, alternating between loading and re-loading their weapons so that a constant round of fire was being provided. The truck began to build momentum and eventually broke free of the herd and made it to the road. Daryl took a look back as they made it to the main road and could see their were hundreds more of the walking dead coming from the south.

"Where did they all come from?" Daryl asked as he and Zeek finally dropped down into the back seat.

"Must have been a cruise ship in port. That's the only thing I can think of that makes any sense. We gotta get back though, that herd is going to be at the camp in two to three days, and if they came through right now it won't bode well for any of us." Zeek said.

Daryl sighed "Why don't you take over the driving now. If anything pops up I'll handle it. No offense Father, but Zeek drives like a NASCAR driver on steroids." Daryl mused. He then asked, "April are you doing OK?"

She simply shook her head, but Daryl could tell something wasn't right. "April answer me." He commanded.

"I'm cramping pretty bad and something doesn't seem right." She responded. Upon hearing that Zeek through the vehicle into over drive and began flying down the road towards the camp.

**OK...shorter chapter, but quicker update. Not a lot of romance in this chapter, but I tried to provide some decent Walker action. I hope it wasn't confusing to follow. Just so you know, April has had a change of heart, next chapter we're going to figure out why.**

**Please drop me a review...I love and adore them. I received quite a few last chapter and it was like Christmas for me. I will try to get another chapter up in the next couple of days, my husband has been traveling and I do want to reward him with a proper home coming LOL.**

**Take care and please enjoy.**

**Love and hugs and kisses to you each (And I mean that)**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	33. Chapter 33

**To the guest who posted about the Beet's family...you win a prize LOL.**

While Daryl had gone with Zeek earlier, Rick had come back to camp and let Davia know that they had a solid lead on April. Both relief and anxiety coursed through Davia's mind. Relief in the fact that they could bring her back and the child could be born safely, but anxiety because that meant she was going to have to deal with April's cruel taunts. It was childish on her part to even give the taunts a second thought, but throughout her entire life Davia had been treated like a second class citizen, and the verbal assaults still hurt.

Jacqui had came by earlier and told Davia that the Lindstrom's had donated a large amount of meat from a Moose that they had killed, butchered, and smoked and Davia should come by the main lodge to pick some up for her and Daryl. She had done so and now was attempting to make a roast of sorts in a large Dutch oven. She had added some carrots, potatoes, onions, and seasonings along with some other vegetables that Maggie and Beth had canned prior to them departing from Blue Ridge. The small cabin smelled wonderful with the roast simmering on the stove. As it got closer to serve the meal for her and Daryl, she had decided she would make some home made biscuits. Somehow Davia had been able to figure out the secret to making scratch biscuits, and Daryl had always seemed to appreciate how fluffy they were. She knew they would be a good accompaniment with the savory stew.

With dinner cooking and Daryl not back Davia decided she should go check on Nora and Benny. Heading over to the clinic Davia caught Carl and Lori having a heated discussion.

"I don't want you around that boy or his family. Do you realize he is Daryl and Merle Dixon's brother and that can only mean he is destined to be trouble? Carol told me some things about his mother and I don't want you hanging around people like that." Lori said emphatically.

"Stop being a hypocrite!" Carl yelled at his mother.

"How dare you talk to me that way Carl? I'm your mother and you are to respect me. I'm gonna have a talk with your father about your attitude." Lori screamed.

"Ha! Respect You? You lost that the moment you decided to take up with Shane and betray my Dad. I don't have to respect you, and I _don't_ respect you. And the worse part about it is you are too stupid to see what you really are." Carl hollered as Lori tried to reach out for him, but he violently pulled away from his mother. Lori's face looked like she swallowed a lemon as she stood there in disbelief.

Unfortunately for Davia, she was the first person Lori spotted after the altercation. "You bitch. You and your people have turned my son against me."

"What are you talking about Lori? I haven't done a thing. And just what do you mean by "your people"? The last time I checked we were all one group and you are lucky that Rick and Daryl decided you and Shane were worth bringing along. In fact, if it weren't for you being Carl's mother or the fact that you don't know for sure who the baby's daddy is…you wouldn't be here at all. So instead of acting like Queen Bitch to everyone you need to get down on your knees and Thank the Good Lord above that you are here and not in Blue Ridge with Sir Fucks-alot getting eaten by the undead. I've had it with you and your snotty retorts Lori and I'm not putting up with it anymore. Do you hear me?" Davia lashed out surprising herself at the anger that released itself in her tirade.

"Davia I don't know what gives you the right to talk to me like that." Lori said menacingly.

"Because you can't push me around anymore. This isn't high school, it's the real world and I have no patience for you and you don't intimidate me anymore. I'm tired of it and I am not putting up with your bullshit." Davia retorted.

Lori was at a loss for words "Well at least I didn't sleep with someone and then imply they raped me."

"Lori that's not fair and you know it. You know what happened with Mitch…and you also know you benefited greatly from that incident. I had no choice but to withdraw from the school play after that incident, and it worked out just lovely for you. I know you had something to do with it, but I could never prove it. It's pretty sad you had to pull some stunt like that to beat me out. Damnit, you were better than me at everything except for the one thing…singing, and you couldn't even let me have that could you?" Davia said angrily.

"I…I…You can't prove a thing." Lori said.

"I just did." Davia said turning around and leaving Lori there with her mouth open. It was ridiculous to Davia that they were fighting over something that happened thirteen years earlier, but for the first time in her life Davia finally felt strong enough to confront those that had always chastised her, and it felt damn good. She had Daryl to thank for that, and she was going to be sure to thank him good and proper when he returned. The windows were now covered and creepy Eugene would no longer be getting an eye full at her and Daryl's expense.

…

April's body began to cramp a little more intensely as they made their way back to the camp. She had been a stupid fool and she knew it. Once again, she had made a fucked up decision in her life that wouldn't end well. This had been her pattern throughout her life.

April had been born into privilege and resented every moment of it. Her mother had dragged her into beauty pageants and then as she got older had forced her daughter into the life of a debutante. April did enjoy the male attention she received, but the suitable 'types' her parents would allow her to date disgusted her. She was attracted to the bad boys, and the first time she brought home a boy who came from the wrong side of the tracks, her father took her car away. She had been taught over and over that she was bred to marry money and power, and anyone that didn't meet that criteria would not be accepted into the family.

After two years at the prestigious Emory University in Atlanta, April had woke up one morning and decided enough was enough, and she packed her belongings into her sports car and left. It was at this time she ended up in Blue Ridge. For the first time in her life she didn't have her family's money to rely on and she needed to find a job. Not having skills, she was relegated to taking a job as a "hostess" in a dirty strip club on the edge of town. The sad thing about it was she really liked it and she liked the clientele even more. April soon found herself moving on from two bit criminals to small time drug dealers. The rush of skirting the law was like an aphrodisiac to her. After a while April had found she could make enough money to support herself by making a few deliveries of heroin a week from Atlanta to Blue Ridge. If she got herself in a situation where she was stopped, she would revert back to her manners and upbringing, eliminating suspicions of her activity. Once again, she enjoyed the rush.

When she met Merle Dixon, her life turned upside down. It was through her best friend Cheryl that Merle was brought to April's attention. By now April had developed a daily heroin habit, and Cheryl had told her that Merle liked to partake as well. Cheryl had a huge crush on Merle's younger brother and would occasionally hook up with Daryl when she managed to get him drunk enough for a fuck in the back of his truck. Cheryl wanted much more from Daryl, but he wouldn't give her a chance. She was just a means of gratification for him. It pissed April off to see Cheryl allowing herself to be used that way, but April had no room to judge.

When April first met Merle she was immediately attracted to his overly masculine personality. Merle was dominating, loud, racist, and positively charming when he wanted to be. If Merle Dixon was in the vicinity, he left no doubt he was there. He didn't put up with bullshit and would use whatever means possible to get himself ahead. Merle put Merle first; the only person that seemed to have any effect at all on Merle's decision making was Daryl. And that made April jealous. But Daryl was too stupid to realize just how much Merle relied on his baby brother. When Daryl met Davia, Merle went into a tailspin when he realized that he could no longer control his brother like he had always been able too. That downward spiral also led to April getting arrested and convicted of drug trafficking and ended her life of freedom. April realized Davia was the catalyst that eventually led to the death of Merle and her incarceration, and for that, she hated Davia and Daryl, but definitely hated Davia more.

That hatred for Davia was fed by Lori, who seemed to hate the girl more than she did. For what reason, April had no idea, but she assumed it was something that went back many years. Lori was not someone April would have ever aligned herself with, but they were both pregnant and Lori seemed to genuinely care about her well being. Even if it was because they had a mutual hatred of Davia and also because the baby that she was carrying was a means that Lori could help control Davia and Daryl. The baby was the last living remnant of Merle, and Lori knew Daryl and Davia were desperate to protect the unborn child for Merle's sake, not April's. It was the one Ace in the hole that April had, and she was not above using it for her own benefit.

When April left the camp and took advantage of poor Benny she felt a sense of victory, but that all changed when she found herself alone and in trouble. If it hadn't been for the gentle pastor finding her along the side of the road, she and her baby would most likely be dead by now. During her fever and exhaustion the one person she never thought she would see again, came to her and talked some sense into her. It was Merle.

"_Sugar tits…what the hell do ya think you're doing?"_

"_Merle…Merle I miss you so much, I thought you were dead." April said._

"_I am, and you and my kid are gonna be too if you don't get your ass straight. What the fuck April? You know you ain't mother material. No offense darling, but even if I was there with ya we aren't fit for raising kids. You're a free spirit…a little one ain't gonna do nothing but break that spirit and you will be miserable. Do the right thing April. For once in your entire God Damn life do the right thing. Keep our baby safe until its time for it to come into this world and then let Daryl and Davia raise it proper. You know it's for the best. I know it's for the best. Can you promise me that?" Merle pleaded with her._

"_Merle…why does this world gotta suck so damn much? I know I ain't much, but don't you think I could be a mother to this child…Our child?" April asked him._

"_No. Sorry sweetheart, but it's the truth. The best thing you could do for that child is take care of yourself and that little girl until she is ready to come into the world. After that, the best thing you could do is give her up. Seriously, could you see yourself covered in baby puke or changing dirty diapers? You couldn't even keep your trailer clean, now you would be cleaning up after a baby, dealing with ear infections, trying to potty train, teething…the whole ordeal. And if you were to take that child from Davia and Daryl ain't no one gonna help ya. Do you think Olive Oyl would be there to help you out? Course not, she's only using you to get to Davia. I'm asking you again, will you do the right thing? I made a lot of mistakes when I was around, and I'm trying to keep you from making just another one." Merle said._

"_I promise to do the right thing Merle. Just help me get back to the camp. I don't think I can do it alone." She begged him._

"_I'll help you get there darling, just keep your promise." He assured her._

"_Merle…I love you." She said._

"_I know ya do…so make sure you take good care of yourself and that baby of ours and I won't leave ya. And if you ever decide to 'touch' yourself, be sure to think about ole Merle…I still get to watch." He told her with a wink._

April was brought out of her memory as a particularly strong cramp hit her. "Ouch." She said, fighting back a tear. The pain was intense and she worried she was going into premature labor.

Daryl had April in his arms in the back of Zeek's truck while Gabriel and Zeek rode up front. Daryl was completely out of his comfort zone, but he needed April to remain calm until they could get her to Milton. He wondered how everything had become so fucked up so quickly. He wanted to scream at her and berate her for what she did, but it would accomplish nothing. So he did the next best thing and comforted her.

"I'm so sorry Daryl. I know I don't deserve your kindness, but I promise if we get back and I can bring this baby to term I will let you and Davia raise her, no strings attached. I'll help out any way I can, but I know it's the right thing to do and I know it's what Merle would want too. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, and now I'm scared I just fucked it all up. I don't want to lose this baby... you deserve this part of your brother. This is what he would want. Please Please forgive me." She begged him.

"Don't worry about nothing right now April. Just relax and everything will be just fine. Milton's a good doctor and he will get ya all fixed up." Daryl assured her, trying to convince him self as much as her.

"How's Benny? Is he mad at me?" She asked, trying to focus on something else.

"He had a rough go of things. Don't bother with that right now April. Like I said, just take some breaths and try to relax." Daryl didn't want to go into what had happened with Benny. Right now April seemed to be having plenty of regrets and he didn't want to stress her out with Benny's dilemma.

…

To keep herself busy while waiting for Daryl to return Davia had taken it upon herself to go and start cleaning up the cabin that Nora, Cesar, and Benny would be staying in. She had the shit scared out of her when a nest of birds that had taken up residency in the fireplace decided to all take flight as she entered the cabin. It took her a bit to get her heart rate under control, but once she did she quickly found herself scrubbing away.

She wasn't sure how long she had been cleaning when she heard the sound of a racing engine enter the front gates of the camp. Immediately she dropped the bucket and sponge and ran out the door to meet whom she could only imagine to be Daryl and Zeek.

Davia was surprised to see Zeek hollering for Rick and Abraham as a younger black man dressed in the clothing of a clergyman exited the front seat and was helping whomever was in the back seat exit the truck. There to her surprise she saw Daryl getting out and carrying April bridal style. A rush of emotions washed over Davia with jealousy and confusion being the two strongest. Daryl had never once carried her in such an intimate way and she couldn't imagine why he was cradling April in that manner.

Daryl rushed into the clinic and Davia rushed in after him.

"Doc, April's in trouble!" Daryl shouted and Davia's stomach flipped. Was she losing the baby?

Milton immediately appeared in the front lobby of the small clinic and took one look at April and instructed Daryl to bring her to the empty room beside Benny. Daryl obliged and kicked the door open as he gently laid April down on the bed.

Milton began assessing April's condition and determined she was in pre-term labor. By now Davia was in the room with the other three and knew that the diagnosis was serious. Daryl had a confused look on his face at the terminology and Davia whispered to him that it meant she was in labor way to early for the fetus to survive.

Daryl looked devastated. Immediately he was filled with feelings of guilt and despair, knowing he had let his brother down.

Milton must of sensed Daryl's concerns because he spoke immediately "I have some drugs that I can administer that will stop the labor, but April is going to need to be on the bed rest for the remaining portion of this pregnancy. We need to get her to at least thirty six weeks to guarantee a healthy baby."

"She's staying with Davia and I so we can take care of her." Daryl blurted out.

"Daryl, were you going to discuss this with me?" Davia asked, slightly pissed that Daryl just assumed they would take in April. Of all the people in this camp that Davia did not want to be stuck with, it was April. The only one that was a close second was Lori, and she knew Lori would rather die than have Davia care for her.

"We're discussing it now. April's moving in with us until the baby is born, end of discussion." Daryl said point blank.

If steam could of left Davia's ears, it would have happened at that moment. To say she was having a bad day was an understatement. "I believe it might be better to find other arrangements." Davia said.

Daryl finally snapped back into reality and realized he most likely crossed a line with Davia. Now he needed to do damage control. "Let's talk outside" He told her as he very gently took her arm and led her out of the clinic.

"Look, I didn't mean to come off the way that I just did in there." Daryl said apologetically, but Davia didn't look amused. Instead she offered him up silence.

"Just hear me out, please." Daryl pleaded.

"I'm listening." Davia replied coldly. Daryl had never dealt with Davia being angry, and to be honest, she scared him a bit.

"First of all April apologized for everything. She must have had some sort of enlightenment when she was out there, but she is nothing like she was before she left. She agreed whole-heartily to turn the baby over to us as soon as she is born and said she would help any way she could. She even said it was what Merle would want. I would say that was a good start. All this fighting and arguing going on around here, it ain't helping the baby none. If April is upset, the baby is in danger. It's just for a few months. If we take care of April, we are taking care of our daughter." Daryl said, trying to make his point.

Davia let out a long sigh "Fine, she can stay with us, but the first time she pulls any type of bull shit she is going back to the bunkhouse by herself." Davia spat out.

"Deal. Davia I really didn't mean to be a total asshole, I just was overwhelmed. There is so much more shit going on, but right now all I can focus on is making sure the baby is gonna be OK." Daryl admitted.

"What else is going on Daryl?" Davia asked.

"Walkers, hundreds of them are headed this way. They overwhelmed us at the church and if it hadn't been for that crazy ass Zeek, we probably wouldn't have gotten out of there. The priest was useless and April is in no condition for any type of fighting. We have to get the camp ready because by the looks of things the dead will be here in two to three days. If they came now we would all be as good as dead." Daryl informed Davia.

Davia's face turned pale "What are we going to do Daryl? Can we leave and go to Homer?"

"No, Homer has fallen according to Zeek. Right now I wanna make sure April is going to be OK then we will all have a meeting to come up with a plan. Baby please don't panic." He told her.

Davia let out a nervous laugh "Ha, How can I not panic? I'm not prepared to die just yet Daryl."

"I promise I will keep you safe no matter what Davia. Just trust me and we'll be fine. Dixon's are survivors and a bunch of dead folks ain't gonna get us." He said, trying to re-assure her. Daryl took her hand and gave it a squeeze, hoping to relieve any of the fear that she was now experiencing.

They were about to re-enter the clinic when Milton came outside. "I wasn't sure if you two were having a disagreement and I thought it was better if I checked before I let you back in to see April. I've given her something to stop the labor and also sedate her. She's suffering from exhaustion and is running a low-grade fever. I am also concerned because she seems to be under-weight."

"We'll do whatever we need to so that she can be healthy." Davia said, much to Daryl's relief.

"That's good to hear. Daryl your mother has asked to speak with her, but I told her that April didn't need any visitors right now. I'm afraid that Nora may be a bit confrontational with April, and that has me concerned as well." Milton admitted.

"I'll handle my mother, just focus on April. Is Benny doing any better?" Daryl then asked.

"He's slept quite a bit, but he's also woke a few times and he is eating well. Tomorrow I am going to release him to your mother's care." Milton informed him.

"Well that's good news. Um, we're gonna be having a meeting shortly that you and Andrea need to attend, we've got some issues that need to be resolved." Daryl told Milton.

"Andrea can attend on my behalf, right now I would like to stay behind and monitor my patients and update my notes." Milton said.

"Suit yourself." Daryl said. He then went into the clinic to find his mother. It didn't take him long when he heard her fussing with Andrea about "needing to see April."

"Momma, you gotta stop." Daryl said to Nora.

"Stop, are you kidding me Daryl? If it wasn't for her your brother wouldn't be lying in that bed in the condition he is in. She can't get away with what she did." Nora said angrily.

"Look, she's sick and in risk of losing the baby. For Merle's sake momma, let it go. After she has the child, you can say whatever you want to her, but right now she doesn't need any stress. She apologized to me for what happened, and as much as I want to ring her scrawny neck, I know I can't because of the baby. Can you please just not say anything." Daryl pleaded with his mother.

Nora took a deep breath "Fine, for now I won't say anything, but only because of the baby and Merle's memory. After that child is born all ties with her are going to be cut and I won't lift one finger to help her out.

"I ain't got no problem with that momma, but just go easy on her now. I'm moving her in with Davia and I so we can keep an eye on her. Doc says she's gonna be on bed rest for the remaining term." Daryl told Nora.

"Oh Daryl, no…you can't. What about Davia? That girl has been down right vicious to her." Nora said reminding him.

"We've got an understanding for now. If it doesn't work out we'll come up with something different, but I don't see April being a problem from this point forward." Daryl assured his mother.

"I swear Daryl, If Merle were here right now I'd jerk a knot in him for not being particular about who he impregnated." Nora said in her sweetest southern accent.

"Hate to tell ya this momma, but April is a lot better than some of the skanks he was with. It could be worse."

…

Within the hour everyone in the camp and the Lindstrom's were all gathered in the bunkhouse to discuss the impending situation with the walkers.

Rick began the meeting "So Daryl and Zeek have confirmed that we have a large herd of walkers heading this way from the South. They believe that the horde will arrive here in the next two to three days and we need to come up with a plan so we are prepared to handle them."

Shane then interrupted Rick "You can't even be remotely serious in thinking we are safe staying here. I say we load up and head to Homer."

Zeek interjected "I attempted to head into Homer just yesterday, you can't get within ten miles of the city, It's lost. The dead are roaming everywhere and there aren't but so many roads that head that way."

Shane replied "What about crossing the bay, then we wouldn't need the roads."

"The ice flows have already started, you won't make it more than a half mile without finding yourself buried in ice, and we don't have a boat equipped to make it through those conditions." Zeek informed him.

"This is bullshit Rick. We can't stay here. That fence isn't strong enough to hold off those things, and the livestock outside is a giant dinner bell." Shane retorted.

Daryl had enough of Shane "Will you just shut the fuck up and let the man talk Shane."

"Thanks Daryl. Now if you will all turn your attention to Zeek, I think he has come up with a viable idea for survival." Rick said.

At that point the large Nordic man stood and addressed the group. "Is anyone here familiar with castles?" He said letting out a huge belly laugh.

Daryl shook his head in disbelief. What the hell had the Viking come up with now?

**OK...don't kill me for redeeming April a little bit, right now we need her. I apologize for the late update, but I was in Not-So-Sunny California for work last week and was unable to write at all. Glad to be back in beautiful and WARM North Carolina. **

**Please leave me a review, I enjoy the hell out of them and I appreciate each and everyone of you that take the time out to let me know how I'm doing. You are the sunshine to my day! Better than Christmas.**

**Take care y'all and I hope to get an update out a bit sooner. **

**Hugs-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	34. Chapter 34

"Castle? What do you mean by a Castle?" Glenn asked.

"A moat…a mother fucking moat." Zeek said laughing.

Hershel and Will couldn't help but laugh at the man's sense of humor. Shane though, being ever the pessimist had to comment "Look you asshole, we don't have time to play. Do you mind explaining how we could build a moat around this place in two days?"

"First of all you pompous piece of shit, you will not address me in the manner you just did or you will be eating your dick for breakfast." Zeek threatened. Daryl fought hard to hold back a chuckle.

"I could say that you need to get your mother fucking ass out there and start digging, but I have a better solution. I have equipment from my mining days up at the house. Including a bulldozer and an excavator. We could have a large moat built around this camp in thirty-six hours tops. We could also cut down some large logs and build a drawbridge. Two of them to be exact. That way if one gets compromised we have a second choice of escape." Zeek said.

"We?" Dale asked, "Does that mean you are willing to help?"

"Of course I am. Me and my girls will hunker down with you here in the camp and help defend it. Better to defend one place than two. I've also got lots of re-barb on the property that we can use to fortify the big ditch. You couldn't imagine the spikes you can make out of the shit by sharpening the ends. We can arm the walls to take care of any of the dead that should manage to break through." Zeek explained.

Daryl then spoke "I brought a good amount of tools from the house, it could work."

Rick smiled "Let's get going. Zeek, I'll put you in charge of this one. Does anyone have any objections?" Rick said looking directly at Shane.

Tyreese spoke up "We should pack the vehicles with supplies just in case we need to leave. It's not the best solution heading back on the road, but we need to be prepared just in case."

Rick nodded in agreement. "That's a good idea Tyreese. Homer might not be the best solution, but it may be the only option we have if things get bad."

Davia then spoke up "What do we do if the ditch fills up? The more of the dead that fall in, the higher the pile gets, eventually the bodies will be so numerous that all they would have to do is crawl across the moat."

Daryl was impressed with Davia's thought process. She had a good point. Will then offered a solution "Why don't we set them on fire, burn the corpses. It will help eliminate the dead, and it could deter the other walkers from attempting to get into the compound. Any stragglers that manage to make it get eliminated immediately by us. I'm a good shot and I don't mind taking a place on the wall to defend this place."

"The only problem is that gunshots will just attract more, or worse, the group that got Benny." Daryl replied.

"Then give me a silent weapon. I know we have at least two other bows that we brought from Blue Ridge. It's been a while since I shot one, but I still think I could handle myself." Will informed them.

"We could do that." Daryl said.

"I've got my Katana." Michonne added. "I don't mind crossing the wall and helping to take out stragglers. It's silent and I still can keep a reasonable distance."

Rick immediately replied to Michonne's suggestion "I don't want you on the other side of the wall."

Jacqui then spoke "I agree with Rick. Michonne, I don't want you to put yourself in danger."

Michonne replied "I appreciate both of your concerns, but I am more than capable of taking care of myself, and I don't really need anyone's permission. I'm trained and a lot less of a risk then most everyone else. No offense, but the majority of people here aren't proficient in the use of weapons and combat, and to me that would be an even greater risk."

Zeek then added, "Let her do it. I've got seven girls who can help too. This is survival and everyone needs to do their part."

Daryl was on the fence. He certainly wouldn't want Davia crossing the wall, but what if she had Michonne's skills? Would he be able to allow her to put herself in danger like that? And to be honest, if he were Rick, he would probably react the same way.

It was as if Rick read Daryl's mind "What would you do?" He asked.

Daryl thought hard before he answered "It's a tough call Rick, but Michonne is a grown woman and she is more than capable of making rational decisions. Let it be her call."

Rick then looked at Michonne, and she managed one of her rare smiles. "I don't like it, but Daryl's right. I can't control you."

Lori sighed out loud and mumbled under her breath "well ain't she a peach." Davia heard the comment and gave Lori the death stare, causing Lori to look away.

"So let's get started on this." Rick said to the group.

Since Daryl and Tyreese had heavy equipment experience, they and Zeek would operate the bulldozer and the excavator. Glenn drew up a design of how best to dig the moat and Morgan, Abe, Rosita, and Shane listened closely to Eugene explain how to construct the two massive drawbridges. Zeek's former business ventures were a God send since he had plenty of equipment and raw materials stored at his homestead.

Sasha, Rick, Bob, and T-dog took on the responsibilities of building look out towers around the fenced perimeter and Carl, Sophia, and Duane all helped wherever they were needed. Will, Hershel, and Maggie all worked on getting the livestock corralled and into the makeshift barn that had been constructed so that the presence of the animals would be minimal.

Tara, Liesel, T-dog, and Zeek's second oldest daughter Corrine all took on the responsibility of securing the Lindstrom's house and retrieving Zeek's beloved sled dogs and bringing them to the compound. Zeek's daughters ranged in age from twenty-six (Liesel) all the way down to fourteen, which was Zeek's youngest daughter Enid. His other daughter's were Darla, a free spirited girl of twenty-two whom had been dating a guy she had met a college in Homer. On more than one occasion Zeek had to fight to keep her from lighting out in the night to try to find him. His other three daughters were Vienna, aged twenty who was a bit boy crazy, Scarlet, whom had just turned eighteen and had fiery red hair, and Eliza, his shy fifteen year old.

All the girls possessed great Nordic beauty and Daryl had made a mental note that Zeek must have had his hands full protecting his daughter's virtue. Though, he wasn't quite sure how virtuous some of them were. Vienna had been quite the flirt when he first met her and Zeek had been quick to point out to her that Daryl was married. She didn't hide her disappointment. Daryl also noticed that when duties were being assigned to get everything prepared for the onslaught of walkers, Vienna seemed to fight to be able to work on Shane's team. He could only imagine the drama that would unfold if Lori figured out that Vienna was hot for Shane. And knowing Shane, he wouldn't deny any attempts of affection from the young beauty. Yeah, this had a lot of potential to become a powder keg of drama for the camp if Shane couldn't manage to keep it in his pants. Not that Lori didn't deserve a taste of her own medicine.

It was already early evening when Zeek and Daryl had returned with April. Jenny, Jacqui, Davia, and Carol had all retreated to the main lodge to prepare dinner for everyone, though with the apprehension of what was coming, no one seemed to be particularly hungry. They also gathered up rations and loaded them into the vehicles in case they needed to flee. If nothing else, they could possibly head South back towards the church and hole up in the basement for a few days. It wasn't an optimal escape plan, as they didn't know how far the walkers were scattered, but it was still a plan.

Everyone worked late into the night and finally around two in the morning Rick said that everyone needed to get a few hours of sleep. Daryl slipped down to the clinic one final time to check on Benny and April and then headed back to the cabin. He walked in to Davia still wide-awake drying out meat and making jerky.

"Babe you gotta get some rest." He told her.

"I made a pot of stew earlier, why don't you have some and then we can sleep for a few hours. I've got all this nervous energy and I'm not sure how successful I'll be at actually sleeping." She informed her husband.

"Hey, are you doing OK Davia? I know it's scary, but we got a good plan in place and we should be fine." He told her in a reassuring voice.

"Daryl I hate it here. How are we ever going to be fine? With April moving in you and I will lose any privacy that we have, the dead are making a beeline for us as we speak, and It's fucking freezing. I heard Zeek's wife Ingrid say she thought it felt like a blizzard was coming in. How can we be fine?" She asked a second time.

"Whoa there darling, I didn't say it was gonna be perfect, but this beats being dead. What did I miss today while I was gone? Did something happen?"

"Other than my fight with Lori, not much. But that's the problem. Lori hates me, April hates me, I'm pretty sure Carol hates me, and I'm gonna be real honest, I don't know how to live like this. It's been pretty much just me for so many years and now I'm living in a group that I don't seem to fit in. Daryl I love you more than I love anyone or anything, and I will follow you wherever you go, but I am not cut out for this life. I don't know what to do. I can't defend myself, I can't shoot a gun, I can't protect anyone at this camp, and I'm just a burden to everyone." She said, tears now falling freely down her face.

"Davia, honey, please don't cry." Daryl said, her tears were putting him in a place where he was less then comfortable. He quickly made his way to her and wrapped his arms around her shaking body. He then reached up and brushed away one of the tears with his thumb.

"I can't help it. Daryl I am trying so hard to fit in and I'm failing miserably. I'm jealous of April, and when I saw you carrying her today to the clinic, I wanted to die. You have never carried me that way, and to be honest, you can't, I'm too heavy for that. And to make matters worse, the only thing I was EVER good at was my music, and I don't have that many options here with that. There isn't time and no one wants to hear it. I feel like my world has slipped away and to top things off, I'm not even sure I'm gonna be alive in a week." She sobbed.

Daryl's heart was breaking. He hadn't thought anything at all about carrying April into the clinic other than he just wanted Milton to make sure the baby was healthy. And Davia was right, he hadn't ever carried her bridal style like that, but he didn't think anything less of her because she was a larger woman. He didn't know what to say to her at that moment that would make her feel any better. Davia never saw herself as the beautiful, vivacious, and talented woman that he saw and he wished more than anything he could convey that to her.

"Davia look at me." He said to her in a husky voice. "I only carried April that way because she couldn't walk and it was the fastest way to get her to Milton. I certainly didn't mean anything by it. You own my heart, my soul…my entire world. If you weren't with me, I wouldn't fight so hard to keep going. I wish you could see yourself for how you are Davia, you are beautiful, sweet, and caring and I've never met anyone like you. I love you so much that I ache when I'm away from you. I could tell you that every moment of every day for the rest of my life and it still wouldn't measure up to how much you mean to me. I know things are hard…harder than they have ever been, but we have to get through this…together." It wasn't much, but at the moment it was the best he could offer her.

"I'm so sorry Daryl, I'm just exhausted, scared, and trying to be brave. I totally suck at this. I wish we were back in Blue Ridge, at our home, preparing for the baby, putting up a Christmas tree, and planning a house warming party and celebrating our wedding. It never happened and I resent that fact." She told him.

He pulled her to him even closer, trying to absorb the pain she was feeling. He felt so helpless. This wasn't a life that Davia was cut out for, but he didn't know how to make it any easier for her. "Davia, let's eat, and then we'll get some rest. We're both worn out and we've got some busy days ahead of us. Just let me hold you tonight and I promise I will find a way to make this more bearable for ya. This wasn't how I planned us spending the rest of our life, but I will do everything I can to make you happy. If we don't think it's gonna work out with April here, I will not hesitate to find another solution. I just thought it would be easier to keep her near by. Maybe I will make an arrangement with Carol or something." Daryl said.

"She won't agree to it Daryl. She resents your mother and I've been getting weird vibes from her. I don't know why, but she doesn't seem to like me. I think her and Lori are getting close and that probably has a lot to do with it." Davia informed him.

"Jesus, this place is like fucking high school. We'll come up with something Davia…I promise. Maybe you, me, and April should sit down and talk. Ain't nothing I would like to less, but it may be our only option. She does seem to be in a different place now than she did when she left. I think she feels guilty, which I didn't think she was capable of. Momma wants to kill her, and I'm gonna have a fun time trying to keep her at bay. Right now though, we just need to get through this herd heading this way. Once that problem is solved, then we can go from there." Daryl told her.

"What about your Dad and Jacqui, do you think they could take on April? You're dad does have a vested interest in the baby too, and God knows he owes you a favor." Davia suggested.

"You know, that may be a good idea. I'll talk to them. Now come on woman, let's go to bed and get some rest. I will tell you this, when this is all over with, you and I are gonna spend some time together, just us. I don't care if it's just an afternoon, but I want it to be you and me only." He told her as he gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I love you Daryl, and I'm sorry to unload on you." She said.

"Don't worry about it Mrs. Dixon, I'm your husband and you're supposed to turn to me when you need help. Isn't that what marriage is about." He said as he guided her to their bed. Daryl stripped down to his boxers and watched as Davia let her hair out of the braid. She had tied her long chocolate locks in a side braid to keep it out of her face. She slipped out of her clothes revealing a pair of pink panties and matching bra. Damn her for being so sexy Daryl thought. He wanted nothing more than for her to understand just how beautiful she was to him. As she slipped on a pair of pajamas she climbed in bed beside him and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.

"Goodnight darling. I'll keep ya warm and I promise things will be better tomorrow." He said as they drifted off to sleep.

…

Daryl and Davia were awoken at six in the morning with a loud pounding on the front door. Daryl groaned out loud as he opened his eyes. It was still dark outside and the last thing he wanted to do was leave the warmth of their bed and the comfort of having Davia still wrapped firmly in his arms. But he knew that they had a lot to do that day and they didn't have a lot of time.

Zeek was yelling through the front door "Dixon, get your ass up, time is wasting…you can diddle with your wife later."

"Ugh, I like the man, but he doesn't hold anything back does he?" Daryl said.

Davia giggled "Just go answer the door and let him in, I will make some coffee for you both and then you can go about your day." She said.

Daryl stumbled out of bed clad only in a T-shirt and boxers and made his way to the front door to let Zeek in. Davia quickly pulled on a sweatshirt and bra and threw her hair up into a clip so she would look somewhat presentable.

Zeek was surprised to see Davia make an appearance behind Daryl. "Good morning to ya little lady. I'm gonna work the shit out of your husband today and you can have what's left of him tonight." He said giving out a healthy laugh.

Davia blushed at the man's innuendo but managed to give him a smile. "I'm going to make some coffee for you two before you go out…can you spare ten minutes Mr. Zeek?"

"For such a beautiful flower I will make the time. How did a hell cat like Daryl manage to find someone as darling as you?" Zeek asked the once again blushing Davia. Daryl couldn't help but smile at the kindness that Zeek was showing Davia. It was as if the man sensed Davia's insecurities about herself.

Daryl disappeared for a moment so he could pull on some clothes leaving Davia and Zeek alone. "So Darling, I was wondering if you could help me out with something today?"

"Anything Mr. Zeek." Davia responded.

"First of all you can drop the formalities. Zeek works just fine for me. I'm far from a proper gentleman. My Ingrid wants to pack up a few items from the house and my girls are busy helping out with securing the camp. Vienna would be my most likely choice to help her mother, since she doesn't really partake in hard work, but she is insistent on helping out that asshole Shane. Do you think you could go over and help Ingrid out? I worry about her over-exerting herself and she ain't a spring chicken anymore." He asked.

"Oh, I would be glad to. I'll get dressed and head over right after you and Daryl leave." She told him.

"Thank you love. That would mean a lot to me. Ingrid could use a friend. Outside of the family and a few people from her church, she didn't really have many friends. And to be honest, I'm not sure that too many from the church survived." He said.

"With the church being so isolated, where did most of the people live that attended?" She asked.

"A few lived at the Marina, like the harbor master and his family, and a few lived in some cabins scattered throughout the area. Mostly hard scrabble types. A lot of drunks and ex-cons lived in the area trying to make a buck and avoiding the law. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them were the one's that got their hands on Daryl's brother." Zeek informed her.

Daryl walked into the room at that point and then spoke "I'm gonna go to the clinic and check on April and Benny and then I'll meet you at the back wall." Daryl told Zeek.

"Make it quick Dixon. Got a lot to do, but I admit I'm enjoying the company of your wife." The older man said, once again making Davia smile. There was something about Zeek that she genuinely liked, and it might have been the fact that he didn't appear to have a hidden agenda. What you see is what you get, and Davia appreciated that.

Daryl gave Davia a quick kiss and told her to make sure she kept the gun on her at all times, especially since she would be going over to Zeek's by herself. Though he was pretty certain that no one was living in the woods around the camp, he still wanted her to be on alert just in case. In a few months they were going to need to worry about the Grizzly bears in the area, but he didn't mention it so that Davia wouldn't have an increased anxiety. He hated that she was so miserable living here in Alaska, but he would rather have Davia miserable and alive than happy and dead.

He and Zeek departed and Zeek headed towards the back wall and Daryl headed to the clinic. April was resting comfortably and Milton had requested she stay at the clinic for a few days so he could continue to monitor her. He informed Daryl she was going to need to eat better and that she had been negligent about taking her pre-natal vitamins. Daryl asked if the baby was still OK and Milton informed him that as best as he could tell the unborn child was doing well, his concern was more for April's health. If they could keep April healthy then the child should be fine.

Daryl checked on Benny, who was now dressed and eager to leave the clinic. Nora was lecturing him about taking it easy and Benny seemed a bit annoyed. Answering tersely with a "Yes Mother" as she was giving him strict instructions about returning to the main lodge and staying put until she was convinced he was at one hundred percent. Daryl took Benny's annoyance as a good sign, that at least he was returning back to normal.

When Daryl walked out of the clinic there was a scene unfolding in the middle of the camp. Rick was talking with Brad and Michonne, who both had agreed to each take a horse and do some scouting to see if they could locate the herd and determine how far north the dead had progressed. Beth was crying and carrying on about Brad putting himself in danger and Michonne and Rick were trying to tell her that it wasn't actually as dangerous as she was imagining. All they were going to do was check out the situation and return. Without any communication, this was the only way to determine just how much time the camp had before they were inundated with the dead. Beth however, wasn't listening and was begging them to not go.

Brad finally pulled Beth away and spoke to her privately. Daryl observed the couple and was relieved to see Beth calm down. Brad then put his arms around Beth and walked her over to Hershel, who took over consoling his distraught daughter. Hershel nodded at Brad and then Brad departed to gather up his and Michonne's horses so they could leave. Both riders were heavily armed and Michonne was carrying a hand held radio so that she could relay any information they could provide.

Dale had been trying desperately to receive any type of communications from the outside world, but the broadcasts he received were becoming more and more sparse. The last news he had picked up was a communication from South Carolina stating that things were desperate, the dead vastly out numbered the living, but that North Carolina, South Carolina, and Northern Georgia were fighting desperately to hold onto their own government and avoiding the dictatorship of President Blake. However, that broadcast had been a week earlier and he had yet to hear anything further. If the South could hold out then maybe one day in that not so distant future they could return to home. But for now, Alaska was their safest bet for survival, even with a large herd heading their way.

…

Davia washed up in the archaic shower set up. She groomed herself meticulously, deciding that if she were gonna die, at least she would die clean and smooth. She braided her hair in a side braid and tied a red ribbon at the end holding her braid in place. She then put on a pair of Lycra leggings under her jeans and pulled on a thermal top, layered with a thick cream cable knit sweater. She was certain the sweater would be filthy by the end of the day, but it was warm, and with Ingrid's comment yesterday about a possible impending blizzard, she wasn't taking any chances on getting cold. She then slid on her leather gloves and warm coat, and finally pulled on her leather lace up boots and headed out the door. It only took her ten minutes to walk through the woods over to the Lindstrom's homestead, but being alone in the woods during that time had her on edge. Not only did she keep her hand close to the gun Daryl had given her, she also had slipped a large hunting knife into her boot "just in case."

Davia was relieved when she walked up the huge front porch and knocked on the door. Ingrid greeted her with a warm smile and equally warm hug. "What brings you by here darling?" She asked.

"Zeek said you could use some help packing up a few things to bring over to the lodge for the next few days, so I am here to offer you some assistance. I have to admit, I don't think I've ever been in such an elaborate home." Davia said as she was trying to take in the grandeur of the Lindstrom's home.

"Honey this house has been thirty years in the making. Zeek swears we keep it too girly, but we purposely let him have the third floor to do with what he pleases. Our master bedroom is up there, but everything else is Zeek's. The second floor has six bedrooms, one for each girl except for Eliza and Enid, who share. It's the curse of being the youngest." She joked.

"I would have killed to live in a home like this…so full of love." Davia said.

"What are you saying dear? Did you not have a happy child hood?" Ingrid asked.

"Far from it, but I am sure you don't want to hear about it." Davia said.

"Come sit down and tell me, and when you are done I will give you a tour of the house." Ingrid replied.

Davia told Ingrid the story of her becoming an orphan at four years old, and being bounced from foster home to foster home…never really knowing love until she met Daryl. She then proceeded to tell Ingrid that the only thing she ever felt she was good at was music and that being here in Alaska had pretty much taken that part of her life away and that she felt she didn't fit in anywhere.

"Come with me Davia, I have something to show you." She said. She then led Davia into a formal parlor with an unencumbered view of the bay. Sitting in the corner was a Steinway Grand Piano. Davia's eyes lit up when she saw it.

"Do you mind?" Davia asked as she made her way to the piano and sat down.

"No, not at all, in fact I would love to hear the thing get played. Zeek bought it right after Corrine was born just sure that one of his daughters would take up the instrument. Unfortunately none of our seven girls even had a remote interest. It's a shame too, since Zeek adores music. I can't carry a tune in a bucket, and Zeek is even worse. Unfortunately we passed our lack of talent onto our girls. This piano just sits, waiting for some miracle to come and play it and it would seem to me you are that miracle." Ingrid told the younger girl.

Davia sat down and felt the ivory keys at her fingertips and it felt like heaven. Without even thinking she began to play "Levon" by Elton John. It had taken her forever to learn the tune and when she finally had mastered playing the song, she played it a lot in her music sets at Dales. Her fingers meticulously found the keys and the melody rang out throughout the house, much to Ingrid's delight.

"Oh I can't wait to have Zeek hear you play." Ingrid said with a gasp.

"Beth and Brad are musical as well. We all worked together at Dale's place before the outbreak and Brad would often sing with me and his band would back me up on different occasions. Maybe one night if we survive this we could all gather over here and play for everyone as a bit of a celebration." Davia said, the smile on her face showing the joy she was experiencing playing such a magnificent instrument.

"First of all love, it's not "if" we survive, but "when" we survive. Christmas is next week and we could have a whole party over here and you and your friends can perform until your heart's content. Zeek would love it and it would make things seem somewhat normal again." Ingrid told her.

"Sounds like a great idea. I don't know how I could thank you for allowing me to do this." Davia said.

"Oh love, you already did. The music is magical and it makes my heart smile." The older woman said.

Davia got up and wrapped her arms around Ingrid in a hug. It wasn't a normal reaction for Davia, but she was so happy at the moment that she couldn't help her reaction.

"You listen to me Davia. I know this place is tough, I experienced what you are going through thirty years ago when Zeek moved us here from Norway in search of his fortune. I loved him and I followed him with out hesitation, I just didn't know things would be so difficult. The good thing was that Zeek was a passionate man…"

"I'll say, you had seven children." Davia joked.

"Yeah, he's passionate in the bedroom too, but I was talking more about how he approaches life. You're Daryl strikes me as the same type, a lot quieter, but still giving of his heart to those he loves and respects. You hold onto him and make him happy, and he will do the same for you. Don't let this place get you down, you embrace it and make it the best if can be. If you ever need someone to talk to, you talk to me, because I know what it's like. You missed out on so much not having a mother, and if you let me, I can be a surrogate for you, because I see you and I see a younger version of myself. Tough and strong, but caring and desperately in love with your husband. Hold onto those values and you will make it through this." Ingrid told the girl before hugging her once again and placing a kiss on Davia's cheek. She didn't miss the fact that Davia's eyes were welling with tears from the emotional exchange.

"Thank you Ingrid, I am sure I will be leaning on you quite a bit." Davia told her.

"Good, I look forward to it." Ingrid said giving Davia a brilliant smile.

…

When Ingrid and Davia made it back to the camp everyone was working hard. The two women went to check on Zeek and Daryl and found both men covered in mud.

"What happened?" Ingrid asked.

"The bulldozer came off its tracks and Dixon here helped me fix it. He's a handy one to have around." Zeek said.

"Have you boy's stopped and eaten yet?" Davia asked.

"Naw, ain't had time. Brad and Michonne are on their way back. Michonne said the herd is about seven miles from here, which means they could make it here by mid morning tomorrow. We still have the entire North wall to dig around and I know they are falling behind on making and burying the spikes. Glenn has already cut himself twice and Beth has been such a pain in the ass that I think Maggie wants to stab her." Daryl said.

"Good Lord is everyone that on edge?" Davia asked.

"You missed it earlier, Walsh and Rick got into a tussle and dad and Hershel had to break them apart." Daryl informed them.

"What did they get in a fight over?" Davia asked again.

"Shane said this was bullshit and that he wanted to take Lori and Carl and take his chances going to Homer. Said we were just sitting here waiting for our death, which infuriated Rick. Walsh is a total ass and if we have to sacrifice someone I vote him top on the list." Daryl said, causing Zeek to let out a bellowing laugh.

Davia just shook her head. "Tell you what, Ingrid and I will go fix you both some lunch and then we will help with the fortifications."

"Sounds good." Daryl said, noticing that Davia actually had a smile on her face. He wasn't sure why, but he got a feeling that Ingrid was good for Davia.

After they brought their husbands lunch, the two women joined in with sharpening the re-barb into spikes. They joined in with Maggie, Glenn, Beth, Carl, and Zeek's daughter Enid while Will and Shane would retrieve the spikes and assemble them around the moat. It was hard work and each of them now possessed hands covered in cuts and sharp metal splinters.

Rick, Sasha, Bob, and T-dog had been working diligently finishing the construction of the six guard towers around the inside perimeter of the fence so they could keep all sides under surveillance during the attack should it happen. Even if the herd was to veer away from the group, having these fortifications protected them from any outside threat.

Abraham, Morgan, Rosita, Tara, and Liesel had spent all day re-enforcing any weak spots in the walls of the fence. They had made several trips to Zeek's lumber pile and made sure there weren't any weak spots that could expose them to further danger.

The very last thing that the entire group worked on was finishing the construction of the two massive drawbridges. When they bridges and the cranks that operated them (designed by Eugene) were finally completed at four in the morning, Rick assembled the entire weary group to make sure that everyone was able to operate them. Eugene's design was flawless and even little Sophia was able so successfully open and close the bridges with the elaborate cranks. It was important to Rick that everyone knew how to let the bridges down in case they had to flee in a hurry. He also wanted to be sure that if for some reason the stronger members of the group were unable to let the bridge down, that the weaker members wouldn't be trapped inside.

At four thirty in the morning Rick was convinced that they were prepared as they could possibly be. Everyone then was instructed to move his or her belongings back to the main bunkhouse so that it would be easier to account for everyone. The entire group was in need of sleep, but everyone seemed too nervous to do so, so they opted to put a group on watch, which would rotate in four-hour shifts.

Those not on watch stayed inside the bunkhouse and waited. Some loaded weapons and checked ammo supplies, others tried to catch some sleep. Ingrid's prediction about snow was coming true and the wind was picking up and snow was beginning to fall. Unfortunately, the snow was going to inhibit the ability to see in the distance, so that would cut the time for alarming the group of the impending arrival of the horde.

Daryl, Tyreese, Sasha, and Michonne took the first watch and Davia knew that Daryl would take the second and third watch if Rick let him. Right now Daryl was running on adrenaline and when he was focused like this, there wouldn't be anything to dissuade him from doing a job. Daryl was a protector, and keeping watch right now was the best way he knew to protect Davia and the group.

As the first shift was coming close to ending the wind blew in a stench that would make even the strongest of stomachs turn. Michonne recognized the scent of death and signaled Daryl, who was closest to her. She then radioed Rick and let him know that the herd was close by. Rick and Zeek left the comfort and warmth of the lodge to occupy the other two towers. Abraham and Morgan then came out and handed out extra weapons and ammunition to the six defenders. Everyone was armed with semi-automatic weapons, a silent weapon, and a hand held radio so they could relay information back to Dale in the lodge.

While Daryl, Rick and the others waited nervously at the wall, the others inside the lodge sat quietly and waited. Will (whom was preparing to leave to head to the wall to help out Daryl) and Jacqui were having quiet prayer, joined by Hershel and his family. Davia and Ingrid joined in the circle and Will prayed for God's protection and grace. Davia's faith had waned over the years, but meeting Ingrid had done a lot to restore her faith and inner joy, and for that Davia was thankful. If for some reason she was unable to survive the attack, she felt she was prepared to meet her maker. She had found love and people who cared for her. It was something she had been seeking her entire life and finally she had found it. To say her life was complete would be inaccurate, but at least she would die happy.

After another hour of anticipation Dale's radio crackled to life with Daryl's voice "The herd is approaching…five hundred yards from the South. I would anticipate about six hundred head or so."

Rick's voice then was heard "Hold your fire as long as possible. The noise from the weapons attracts them. Everyone in the lodge arm yourself and stay alert. No one is to fire a weapon until I give the order."

"This is bullshit!" Shane yelled out inside the lodge.

"Son, calm yourself down." Hershel replied.

"We're sitting ducks here. I should have taken Lori and Carl and just left without saying anything. Rick is leading us all to our deaths." Shane shouted.

Carl then angrily replied "Shane this is a good plan, and you get no say in whether I go with you or not. You used to mean something to me once, but what you did to my dad…and my family, it's not forgivable. I stick with those I trust and care about, and right now you and my mother are not on that list."

Shane kicked over his chair and charged towards Carl, fortunately Brad jumped in and knocked Shane on his ass. "Now ain't the time man. You need to sit your ass down and listen for instructions like the rest of us. If this group divides at this moment, we're all good as dead."

Silence filled the room after that and Shane angrily sat down in a huff. They all waited quietly and it seemed all was going well. There were no gunshots and Rick hadn't radioed about any complications. Then they all heard it…the animals must have sensed the large group of undead and become nervous. The dogs began to bark and the cows and the chickens began to cry out like a dinner bell. The radio crackled to life again "The herd is heading this way, stay on alert and have your weapons at the ready…"

**I finally had a chance to update and I apologize in advance for the amount of time it took. I know it's difficult reading a story with long breaks in between chapters. **

**I love the Lindstrom's and they are easy people to write, and I hope I am conveying that in this story. Please review and let me know what you think about where this is going. I love each and everyone of your reviews. Next chapter I plan on giving you an update on what the Governor/President Blake has been up too, I have plans for him. I know I have too many characters right now, and unfortunately for some, that means bye-bye time. So be preparing yourself for some character deaths in the next few chapters. Some of you may kill me after that...**

**Take care and I will TRY to update sooner, just keep in mind I have a ton going on at work with a huge acquisition that I am heavily involved in and since that is what pays the bills around here, it kind of takes precedence.**

**Love y'all and I appreciate the hell out of you reading this...and by the way, anyone missing some Daryl/Davia lovey dovey time? It's been a long time "coming" eh-hem, but I think a little something will be brewing in the next chapter. **

**Missy-**

**XXOO**


	35. Chapter 35

**Warning-Smut (You've waited too long LOL)**

It was still silent. Except Davia swore she could hear her heart beating through her chest. She looked around the room as everyone was quickly scrounging together their weapons, waiting for Rick to give the call if they needed to leave the confines of the lodge and head to the wall to help defend their home.

Tyreese's voice came across the radio "We've got an issue on the south wall. There are so many of the walkers that they have completely filled this portion of the ditch and are now making their way against the wall. They have found a weak spot and it's starting to give way behind the medical clinic."

Rick replied "We need reinforcements to hold the South wall. Shane, Brad, and Glenn if you could assist…"

All three men grabbed their weapons and headed out immediately to help hold the wall. She then heard Daryl on the radio "Michonne and I are going over the wall to handle some stragglers that have managed to make it across the moat and have displaced some of the spikes." Davia's heart hit her stomach when she realized that Daryl would no longer have the protection of the wall.

Gunshots began to ring out and Davia wanted to cover her ears in fear from what was going on outside. Without thinking she grabbed her gun and a baseball bat and headed out. Jacqui and Nora yelled at her to stay inside, but she wasn't listening. If Daryl was in peril, then she was going to do whatever she could to help out. She ran as fast as she could and climbed up the elevated platform that Sasha occupied, gasping when she saw the sight in front of her.

Hundreds of the undead were ascending on the camp from all sides. The moat was doing it's part of catching those that made their way towards the wooden walls, but in places the dead were so numerous that they quickly filled the ditch. Several of the spikes had either come out of the ground or were ineffective because they already had walkers skewed on them. The snow was coming down heavily and it didn't allow Davia to see beyond a few hundred yards of the camp, so she couldn't tell just how deep the herd was.

Sasha turned in shock when she saw it was Davia that had just climbed up the platform. "Davia you can't be here, Daryl will freak out."

Davia just ignored Sasha and scanned the area below to locate Daryl. Michonne was fighting off a couple of walkers quite valiantly with her Katana and Daryl was about ten feet away taking out as many as he could with his knife. They had gone over the wall to pull the dead off of the spikes so that more walkers weren't able to make it to the landing between the wall and the pit. They seemed to have everything under control until the ledge on the opposite side of the pit gave way, filling in the ditch with dirt and the undead and forming an unintended bridge. It was allowing numerous walkers to cross the pit easily and soon Michonne and Daryl were surrounded by a group of twenty.

Rick was the first to notice that the two were in trouble and he jumped the wall to assist. Of course, he was challenged with the decision of whom to help first and Davia knew it would be Michonne. Once again, without thought and hesitation, Davia reacted. She dropped over the wall as Sasha yelled at her to come back. She knew that Sasha wasn't able to take a shot without possibly hitting Daryl and Daryl was in trouble. He was backed up against the wall pushing and shoving the dead that were trying so hard to make him their next meal.

Davia took a deep breath and remained calm. When she dropped to the ground and some of the walkers took notice of her. She had her bat and the handgun Daryl had given her, but the gun was going to be a last resort. As the dead began to approach her she began to swing the bat with all her might, making contact with each walker's head, smashing through skull and brain and dropping the undead with ease. She wasn't sure where the strength was coming from, she assumed it was adrenaline, but the results were effective.

It took Daryl a few moments to realize that it was Davia approaching from his right. "Davia get back over the wall." He screamed as he fought to keep three walkers from taking a bite out of him.

She didn't respond but kept swinging her bat taking out the wayward walkers that weren't interested in Daryl now, but her instead. As one particularly large walker shoved it's way towards Daryl, she looked in horror as she saw Daryl's feet slip out from beneath him and he was taken to the ground. There was no way she could make it to him before he was bitten, so she pulled out the pistol, took a breath, and fired. Unbelievably, she hit her mark in the back of the head and the corpse dropped down on Daryl. He quickly thrust the dead body off of him and was able to make it back to his feet, half in disbelief and half in overwhelming pride at the feat that Davia just accomplished.

"Come on." He said as he guided Davia by the arm back to the ladder so they could get back to the other side of the wall.

When they had both climbed up he looked at her and said "Head back to the main lodge, we got this now." His response was cold and Davia thought she even detected a slight quiver in his voice.

"I can help Daryl." She told him.

"I know ya can, but just do as I ask for now." He begged her. She simply nodded and headed back to the main building. She noticed she was covered in blood and muck and smelled like a dead body. She couldn't wait to hear what Lori would have to say. Instead of heading towards the bunkhouse, she opted to head to her own cabin so she could wash off the scent of death and change her clothing. No one would notice if she were missing for fifteen minutes or so.

Daryl's emotions were on a roller coaster. He had just escaped a certain death and Davia had risked a shot that fortunately rang true. She had made a reckless decision to head over the wall after being given strict instructions to remain with the group in the bunkhouse. He couldn't have her taking risks like this without thinking. And the biggest shock of all to him was that she remained calm and moved like she had been doing this her whole life. He had completely underestimated her abilities and had no idea where her skill set came from. That being said, he never wanted her to attempt such a thing again. He was going to give her a good ass chewing, but would that be fair? If she hadn't done what she did, he would most likely be dead.

He couldn't focus on Davia at the moment. The South wall was in peril as the remaining herd was now amassing itself on the weak area that was now on the verge of a breach. Sasha and Will remained at the West wall (which contained the main entrance to the camp) and continued to fire off shots at wayward walkers that were making it across the moat. Zeek headed towards the South wall to assist with trying to prevent the wall from breaking. The North and East wall were untouched and that allowed Brad and Rick to focus on aiding in the breach as well.

They fought for hours and everyone with the exception of Davia, Nora, Jacqui, Beth, April, Gabriel, and the medical staff (Excluding Bob, who opted to help out as well), and of course the children, struggled to keep the wall from giving in. The moat was now completely ineffective on that side and finally gave way as darkness was beginning to ascend on the camp.

Shane began to shout out commands at everyone to run to the vehicles so they could escape. Rick contradicted him and told everyone to stay put, as there weren't that many walkers making it through the wall. They had taken out a large percentage of the undead throughout the afternoon and Rick estimated that they really only had twenty or thirty that were able to make it through the breach. "Everyone remain calm and make a back to back formation. We can take them out if we don't break ranks." He commanded.

Daryl thought it was a good idea and quickly three groups of five were formed and they began to successfully take down the walkers that made it through wall. Sasha and Brad continued to take out stragglers, but it seemed that the remaining herd had either continued past the camp, slowed down because of the snow, or were caught up in the pit. It appeared that they had successfully fought off the onslaught.

After another hour of exhausting fighting, all of the threatening walkers were eliminated. Daryl took a look around at the group and every one of them was covered in black blood from head to toe, but they had prevailed without a single loss of life. Zeek and his daughters were quickly finding anything they could to fill in the broken wall, creating a makeshift barrier until the wall could be prepared properly.

"You fucking lucked out on this Rick. You are out of your mind if you think we could be this lucky again." Shane shouted at the man.

"No Shane, you made the wrong call. If we had left there isn't any telling what we would have come across. Do you want to head north and deal with an entire city of these things? Or head south where there could be even more. You don't get the right to usurp my command." Rick told him.

Shane lost it and thrust his body at Rick and before anyone could respond, Shane pulled out his knife and stabbed Rick in the shoulder "You stupid mother fucker…I'm tired of taking orders from you." Shane shouted.

Rick didn't acknowledge the wound even with his shoulder bleeding and he quickly flipped Shane on his back and began to beat the man savagely. Brad, Abraham, and Daryl all rushed over and pulled Rick off of Shane before he beat the man to death. Daryl spoke calmly "Rick, Rick…come on man, this is what he wants."

Rick had a glazed over look in his eyes and Daryl wasn't sure if it was anger, pain, or a bit of insanity. Rick just looked at Daryl and nodded, then walked a few feet and sat down on the ground. Michonne quickly rushed to his side and pulled off her coat and placed it on the wound. "We need to get you to Milton." She said. Bob quickly came to Rick's aid and examined the wound. "It's superficial, but we need to staunch the blood flow and clean it up."

Rick then began shouting "He needs to leave. Take him out of here now." By now the remaining group had began to assemble around the scene that was unfolding. Lori and Vienna rushed to Shane's aid and Vienna not so subtly pushed Lori out of the way to tend to Shane's bruises. Zeek witnessed his daughter's actions and shouted at her to go back into the lodge and "stay out of this mess. It's not your business."

Lori being the complete idiot she was tried to plead with Rick "Rick you can't be serious. If you send him out there you are condemning US to death. If he leaves, I go too, and that means so does this child who may or may not be yours." She threatened.

Davia had joined the group by now and couldn't believe the nerve of Lori "Who do you think you are Lori? You don't get the right to threaten and control Rick by using your unborn child as a pawn. I don't know why you and April feel so empowered by your pregnancies, but it's complete and utter bullshit. Shane is a complete asshole that just tried to kill Rick, and all you can think about is yourself? Did Rick EVER mean anything to you? You fucking gave up a good and decent man for a slime ball like Shane, and you have the nerve to DEFEND him. You are pathetic."

Lori was about to respond when Carol stepped up and slapped Davia "You need to calm down you stupid bitch. All you do is attack Lori and try to make her feel bad about herself. I don't know why you, Daryl, and your extended family think you are the first family of Alaska, but I'm tired of sitting here and allowing it to happen. Rick is weak and Shane is brave enough to call him out on it. We were lucky that nothing worse happened to us. I'm sick and tired of playing nursemaid to your white trash family. Nora is nothing more than a con-artist that abandoned her kids at the first chance she had, and Daryl? He's an emotionally stunted weakling that lets his heart make his decisions. He puts us all in danger by doing so." She shouted.

Whether it was the adrenaline still coursing through her body, or just the mere fact that Carol had just insulted the man she loved, Davia saw red. She suddenly thrust herself at Carol taking her to the ground and began to pummel the older woman with her fists. Daryl rushed to pull Davia off of Carol and when he lifted her up off the ground he yelled at Beth to take Davia to the Dixon cabin. He was then left face to face with Carol "We trusted you, and we brought you here so you and Sophia would be safe. Now you are fucking going to pull this bullshit? Fuck you Carol." Daryl shouted.

"I'm keeping my eye on you Dixon. You have so much potential but you have let Davia and your mother ruin you. You were nothing but Merle's puppet when he was around and now you are Davia's boy toy. I thought you had potential Daryl, but I was wrong." She retorted angrily.

"Enough!" Morgan shouted. "All of this drama is not helping any of us. We've just survived a major threat and all YOU people want to do is bicker? I brought you here…all of you, and you are acting like a bunch of bitchy teenagers. Everyone needs to take a breath and go back to your quarters. It's late, we're tired, it's freezing out here and this fighting is detrimental to the group!"

There was grumbling amongst everyone, mostly about the drama, but everyone dispersed and went their separate ways. Brad came by Davia and Daryl's cabin to retrieve Beth and she noticed that Brad actually wrapped his arms around Beth and led her to the cabin he was sharing with T-dog.

"What about the bodies?" Tyreese asked.

"They'll still be there in the morning. We'll clean them up then." Zeek replied. The man was visibly angry at the altercation that had just taken place and he was furious with his daughter. "My brood, I want you to pack up and head to the house NOW." He yelled out in frustration. Slowly each of his daughters retrieved their belongings and headed back towards the Lindstrom home. Before they left though, Ingrid took the time to grab Davia on the front steps of her cabin.

"Listen Kitten, don't let these people get you down. Keep your head high and take care of your man. I do believe he may be upset with you for the over the wall antics though. Listen to what he has to say, because I think he might be having a hard time processing just how much danger you were in. Comfort him and assure him you won't do anything so dangerous again. In fact, Promise ME you won't do anything like that again. I don't want to lose you darling."

"Yes ma'am. I didn't think, and you are right, it was dangerous, but Daryl was in danger and I couldn't watch what was about to happen to him. What would you do if it were Zeek?" She asked.

"I'd fight for my man, and then endure the tongue lashing after the fact. Don't argue with Daryl, let him vent, and then he will be fine." She said to Davia. Davia nodded and made the long trek up the steps to the cabin.

Daryl still hadn't made it back to the cabin yet so she put a teakettle of water on the stove and stoked the flames in the fireplace. Earlier she had managed to wash off quickly and change her clothes, but she was sure she looked and still smelled as disgusting as she felt. Davia grabbed a quick glance of herself in the mirror and noticed a clear handprint formed across her cheek where Carol had slapped her. Her knuckles were sore from hitting the older woman and her legs were achy from the drop over the wall. She was only thirty years old but right now she felt seventy-five.

Daryl showed up about twenty minutes later and he was a mess. "I'm gonna wash up and then we're gonna talk." He said tersely.

"OK, but I'm gonna wash up after you. I'll start something to eat while you bathe." She said. Ingrid had given her some smoked salmon and Davia decided to warm it up and serve it with some boiled potatoes and some canned green beans. It wasn't fancy, but it would sustain them until she had time to prepare a better meal. She also threw together some corn bread and set it in the oven to bake. They had been careful with what food supplies they had carried with them from Georgia (And they had carried a lot). They had brought a lot of staple type foods that would be difficult to procure, such as flour, sugar, salt, corn meal, and rice. In the spring they would be able to plant and Davia had actually began to spend some of her spare time reading up on plants, both the type you could grow and cultivate yourself, as well as the ones that grew wild. She was learning about the different flavors they produced as well as medicinal properties. The medicine that Milton had carried with them wouldn't last forever, and if they had alternative medicines it could just make the difference in someone getting over a sickness or an injury.

Daryl emerged from the bathroom clad only in a towel and still looking stressed. Davia gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and told him she would be out to finish dinner in a few minutes and they could talk while they ate. She took a quick shower and combed through the tangles in her hair, letting it cascade down her back and shoulders. She then slipped on a warm pair of pajama bottoms and pulled on a thermal T-shirt to stay warm. Considering Daryl's mood, she wasn't sure if she would be able to count on him even sleeping in the same bed with her tonight. She was frustrated with his attitude and wasn't really looking forward to their inevitable conversation.

When she emerged from the bathroom Daryl was sitting at the table smoking a cigarette and sipping on a glass of liquor.

"Do you really think the liquor is necessary? Where did you get it? I was under the impression that what we brought with us was for bartering." She said, pissed that he was giving off a cold and insensitive vibe.

"You see any people around here for us to barter with? And yeah, it is necessary. What you did today was inexcusable and I need this fucking drink to calm down." He told her.

"Really Daryl? I only reacted because you were in trouble and I didn't want to lose you. If you died, I would be right behind you. I can't stand the thought of existing without you." She said, almost in a pleading voice.

"I had it under control Davia. Rick had already gone over the wall and he was more than capable of helping out." Daryl yelled.

"That's bullshit Daryl. Rick was concerned with helping Michonne and didn't have enough time to help you before you were ripped to shreds by those things. Look, I know it wasn't a well thought out plan, but it worked and you are here…safe…yelling at me because I saved your life. Can you put your damn ego aside and just accept that it happened? There isn't anything we can do about it now." She screamed back at him.

Daryl looked at her hard, and then burst out laughing "Damn woman you are sexy when you are angry."

Davia smiled back at him "I'm sorry for yelling, but you need to hear me out. I'm not weak… I am inexperienced with this type thing, but not weak. But I'm gonna learn how NOT to be inexperienced. Look, I'll never be as strong and agile as Michonne, but I can help. You have to admit I did a pretty good job." She told him.

"Yeah…you did more than a good job. You know, when Ed attacked you I was impressed with how well you fought back, but I figured it was a 'fight or flight' response. Now I'm pretty sure that deep down you are just a natural born fighter, and that scares me. I don't want you to get in a situation where you are forced to become a fighter. Fighting puts you at risk, and that scares the fuck out of me. You said you couldn't live without me, and I feel the same way. Davia, If something happens to you I will put a fucking bullet in my brain." He admitted.

"Don't talk like that Daryl. I would want you to go on and live without me. You have so much to contribute to this world and it would be a huge loss if you were no longer in it. That's why I did what I did. I promise not to do anything like that again, unless I have too. From now on I will leave the fighting up to you and the others that know what they are doing " She said. At the moment it was all she could offer.

Daryl nodded and let out a small grunt. "Gotta admit, it was a bit of a turn on." He told her.

Davia let out a laugh and responded "Just how much of a turn on?"

Daryl gave her a look, with his eyes full of lust and Davia felt herself shudder from his gaze. "I'll show you."

Before she could come back with a response Daryl was up and pulling her up out of her chair and into a passionate kiss. Davia responded and this time it was her fighting for dominance over him. Daryl pushed her body back onto the table as Davia began to attack his tongue with hers. She could taste the cigarette and liquor and it ignited her senses. She removed her mouth from his and began to pepper his neck with wet kisses then moved her mouth so she could slide her tongue across his ear lobe. Daryl let out an audible moan and she smiled inwardly knowing she had managed to get such a strong reaction.

Davia then did something that Daryl wouldn't have expected. She moved her body so that now she was pushing him up against the table and had the dominant position. Daryl had never been comfortable with being dominated, especially after all the abuse he had endured during his younger years, but this was different. This was Davia taking control, and he wouldn't deny her.

She slipped off his shirt and moved her mouth down his neck and across his shoulder. She felt Daryl's body shiver as he let her have her way with him. She them moved her lips across his chest, taking his nipple into her mouth and swirling her tongue around it as it hardened. His nipples weren't the only things hardening and she could feel his erection against her thigh. This caused Davia to smile "You like that don't you?" She whispered.

Daryl was unable to speak as his body was giving into her seduction. She then took her hands and slid them gently down his sides, moving them slowly lower on his body, unfastening his belt and unbuttoning his pants. She pulled him forward slightly so she could slide them down and allowed them to pool on the floor at his feet. Davia began to drop down, now moving her mouth from his chest downward to his abdomen and she spent time caressing his belly button and happy trail with her tongue. Daryl's manhood was at full attention and as she was savoring the area just above his erection, she slid one of her free hands up his inner thigh and cupped his testicles, gently massaging them.

Daryl thought he might pass out from pleasure at any moment. Davia did not have a lot of sexual experience, but right now her actions were that of a woman who knew what she wanted and just how to get it. As his body tingled, he was suddenly overwhelmed with the feel of her warm tongue licking the tip of his manhood.

Davia could taste his pre-cum and it aroused her own heat. She moved her tongue at first gently across the tip, and then opened her mouth wider and began to savor his passion. She moved her mouth back and forth, each time taking him deeper and deeper, eventually relaxing the muscles in her throat and taking his cock completely inside her mouth. Daryl couldn't help but let out a shout of "Oh Fuck baby, that feels so good."

She continued to bob up and down on his erection until Daryl couldn't take it anymore. He gently pushed her back away from his body and pulled her up so he could look into her eyes. He now took the dominant stance and began to pull her clothes off. Within a matter of seconds they were both completely naked and Daryl had Davia pushed back against the table.

He began to attack her body with his mouth and Davia squirmed with pleasure. Daryl began to suckle on her breast, rolling the hardened pebble with his tongue while he slipped his hand between her thighs and found her womanhood slick with anticipation of him. Moving his fingers in circles around her arousal Davia began to moan, thrusting her hips against his hand. "I don't want gentle Daryl…" She moaned.

Daryl had always been careful and tender with her, afraid that he would hurt her or scare her away, but this woman in front of him was almost feral, as was Daryl. He now was the one dropping down as he pushed her upper body back on the table. He moved himself between her knees and spread her open so he could savor her. Davia's head rolled back as she felt his tongue envelop her dripping wet folds and savoring her nub in his mouth. "Oh fuck yeah," she said. When Daryl first met Davia she barely spoke, and never cussed. Now she was swearing like a sailor and it oddly turned him on even more

As Daryl tasted every drop of Davia's arousal he slid his hand up her thigh and plunged two fingers deep inside of her. Davia gasped and thrust her hips forward, causing Daryl to suck even harder on her nub that he continued to work with his tongue. The look on her face was pure desire and Davia was sure she would die at any moment as the sensations were flooding her body.

"Fuck me Daryl, fuck me hard." She commanded.

Daryl slowly stood and removed his fingers that were inside her, preparing her for his massive cock. It had been too long since they had been intimate and he wasn't sure just how long he was going to last, but he knew he was going to give her everything he had.

Davia opened her legs wider allowing Daryl all the access he would need. He lined him self up and then thrust his manhood into her. Davia's wetness allowed him to plunge deep and quick and he was surprised as she met him with her own thrust. Davia needed to not only feel him inside of her, but needed to feel her swollen bundle against him as well.

They developed a quick and furious pace as Davia clawed at Daryl's back, as if she was trying to pull him into her completely. Daryl could feel her hot wetness around his engorged cock and as they plunged into each other at a faster and faster pace he could feel her tightening her inner walls against him with each push.

Davia felt like her nub was about to explode with the heat and friction and she was beginning to see stars as she moved herself against him with each thrust. She was arching her back and raising her hips to match his movements and before she knew it, her body was over taken with the sensation of an exploding orgasm, causing her juices to flow even more and her walls to clench tightly against Daryl's manhood.

Daryl felt her tighten like a vice and the hot wetness engulf him, and he felt his cock explode as his warm seed shot inside of her. Daryl groaned out "Oh fuck Davia!" as he rode out his orgasm just seconds after her own. He thrust a few final times and then stopped moving, but kept himself buried inside of her as long as he could. It was if all the drama and stress of their life just slipped away and two young lovers were enjoying the pleasure of each other's body, not thinking that today could be their last.

"I love you so much Daryl." She said, as he finally had to pull himself free. He kissed her gently and pulled her into an embrace.

"You are incredible darling. That may have been the most enjoyable experience of my life." He admitted to her.

"It felt good to me too baby, we need to do this more often." She said.

He smiled and excused himself to clean up after their tryst, and she followed him into the bathroom to do the same. "I reckon we might need to eat dinner and re-gain our strength." She joked.

"Maybe we should wipe the table down first." He reminded her.

"I'm on it." She said, still smiling. Her cheeks were still flushed and Daryl himself had a glow to him as well.

…

Davia scrubbed down the table and they ate their meal in a blissful peace. Daryl had informed Davia that he had checked up on Rick before he had returned to the cabin earlier and that he also stopped into the main lodge to check on Benny and April as well. Carol had sulked off to Lori and Shane's and he was sure that they were the topic of a pretty hateful conversation.

"Rick is gonna be fine…apparently Shane is a bigger pussy than we thought and he barely managed to break the skin. That being said, Rick ain't none to happy." He informed Davia.

"What is Rick gonna do?" She asked.

"Not a clue, but if it were me, Shane would have seen his last sunset. Fucking Lori and that damn baby she's carrying is the ONLY thing keeping Shane here. Maybe he will do us all a favor and just leave, but once again, he's a damn pussy and knows he couldn't make it out there on his own." Daryl stated.

"She better pray that baby is Rick's. If it isn't, then I'm pretty sure they both know they won't be welcome here. Of course, they now have Carol in their corner, and it would appear that she hates all of us Dixons now, not just me. I wonder why she's so angry." Davia asked.

"Rick told me that Carol wanted a relationship with him and thought he would be her ticket to easy street. When he started taking up with Michonne, she got pissed off. Since Michonne is my stepsister, she thinks it's our fault. Don't forget she made a subtle play for me not that long ago. She's lonely and not used to fending for herself. Even when she was with Ed, he made the decisions for her, and she isn't doing well handling things by herself. I feel bad for Sophia though, that little girl doesn't deserve to get caught up in her mother's bad decisions." Daryl said.

"Sophia and Duane seem quite taken with each other. They play together all the time and I think it's adorable. She was so shy and inward when we first got here, but she seems to have come out of her shell now that she has a friend. I'm not sure of all the details of what Ed did to her, but I can only imagine. She needs security and love from all of us so that she doesn't grow up to be a mess when she is an adult." Davia told him.

"Yup. With all the fucked up shit I went through with my Dad and brother, it's a fucking miracle I can function at all. If there had just been one person who had given a shit when I was younger I think I would have actually amounted to something. Merle tried his best, but he was fucked up worse than I was. You know he never talked about what happened in that time between him getting discharged from the military and when he returned to Blue Ridge. That's always bothered me, because he had his shit together for once, and I still can't help but blame myself for him falling apart." Daryl admitted.

"First of all Daryl, you amounted to a good and decent man, and you have nothing to be ashamed of at all. Also, Merle's downward spiral had nothing to do with you, he was an adult and he made his own decisions. You have to stop blaming yourself for that. We both had rough child hoods, but we both turned out to be decent adults, and that is because we are survivors. Can I admit something to you?" She asked.

"Sure you can, you can tell me anything." He said to her.

"Don't be mad, but today, when I went over the wall I wasn't scared, I was focused. I didn't panic…I just reacted. I didn't fear for myself and I had the ability to just see what needed to be done. I actually surprised myself. When you got angry, it hurt because I had overcome an internal battle and I won. I wanted you to be proud of me, not mad." She told him.

"Davia, I was proud…but I was the one terrified. When I saw you standing there with those monsters I freaked out. I admit, I was in trouble, and that is what scared me so badly. I wouldn't have been able to get to you in time if something went wrong, and that about killed me. You know me well enough to know I'm a dick when it comes to shit like that. I'm just thankful you are safe and I pray that you won't do anything like that again." He told her.

" I won't unless I have too. That's the best I can tell you. I'm not a damsel in distress, I'm strong and I just want you to know that." She said to him.

"I know you are babe, you are the strongest woman I know." He told her. Daryl then stood up and went to the front window. It was close to midnight and they needed to settle in for the night. "Damn, there must be a foot of snow on the ground, and it's still coming down. Shit, that's gonna make cleaning up all the dead bodies a challenge."

"I wanna help. There are a lot of them and I'm not scared to get my hands dirty. As long as the good lord provides hot water and soap I'm willing to help out." She said giving him a smile.

"We'll come up with something for you to do tough guy." He said as he walked over and took her hand and guided her towards their bedroom. "It's been a long day, and you wore me out earlier, so let's snuggle in and go to bed and hope it don't snow ten feet tonight."

…

The snow continued to pile up over night and the next morning Daryl and Davia looked out the window at the camp that was now transformed into a winter wonderland. Blue Ridge got its fair share of snow, but nothing like this. Daryl opened up the door and checked the thermometer on the porch, knowing it was colder than anything he had ever experienced. Sure enough the temperature read negative five and the wind was blowing. Within seconds he was back in the cabin attempting to warm himself up again.

"I've got watch in a few hours and I'm not sure I have enough clothes to keep me warm in this weather." He said.

"You can't be serious Daryl. It's a blizzard out there. Surely no one or no thing would even think about attacking us." Davia said.

"Look, were not acclimated to this weather, but there are plenty of people in this area that are. If they were looking to attack us, this would be an ideal time. I don't think we will be able to clean up the dead though. Can't see them with all the snow on the ground, but they won't be decomposing either, it's too fucking cold." He told her.

"Who do you think is left to attack us Daryl? Do you know something you aren't telling me?" She asked.

"No, I don't know anything. But whoever went after Benny is probably still in the area. They are probably those hard scrabble types that thrive in a world like this and I would not want them to catch us off guard. I saw Tara and Zeek's girl Liesel on the wall, and if they can tough this out, I can too." He told her.

"Well you aren't going anywhere without a good breakfast and a thermos of hot coffee. How long is your shift going to be?" Davia asked.

"I'm gonna go see Rick and suggest we rotate two hour shifts until it warms up. Our normal four hour shifts are too long in these temperatures." He told her.

"Fine, but hurry back and I will have breakfast ready." She told him.

Daryl got dressed in layers and pulled on his winter coat and headed towards the main lodge. It was so frigid it was actually hard to breathe. When he entered into the lodge he was pleased to see Rick sitting up at the table talking with Morgan, Michonne, and Abe. His shirt was hung loosely over his shoulders and Daryl could see the bandage that Milton had applied the night before. The bandage was clean and Daryl took that as a good sign that the bleeding had stopped. Right now they needed everyone healthy and Rick was one of their strongest defenders.

"Morning. Wanted to run something by ya." Daryl said.

"Morning to you Daryl. What's on your mind?" Rick asked.

"As cold as it is out there, I think we should run two hour shifts for watch. Everyone can take watch twice a day instead of one shift for four hours." Daryl said.

"Sounds good. Abe said Zeek radioed this morning and is on his way over. He's got a snowmobile and he wants to patrol the general area outside the walls. I think that is a good plan. We still have hostile forces somewhere in the area and I want to be sure that we aren't going to get any surprises. I'm gonna head out with Zeek when he gets here." Rick said.

"Naw…I'll go with Zeek. You need to take it easy today and let the shoulder heal. I'll take one of the afternoon shifts when we get back. Has Walsh shown his face yet this morning?" Daryl asked.

Abe let out a laugh "Doubt he will show his face in here anytime soon. My guess is he will send either queen bitch or Nurse Ratchet to do his bidding for him."

"Probably, the mans a bigger pussy than I imagined." Daryl said.

"He's a problem Daryl, and we are going to have to deal with him sooner than later. I say we pack him some supplies, give him a weapon and send him on his way." Rick said quietly so no one outside of the small group at the table would hear the conversation.

"That won't work Rick and you know it. He won't leave Lori if there is a chance the baby is his, and if he does leave, he might marry himself up with another group and head back wanting vengeance. Can we risk that?" Daryl stated calmly.

"Then we need to come up with another alternative." Rick said, the meaning very clear to Daryl and those sitting around them.

"When?" Daryl asked.

"Soon." Rick replied.

"How?" Michonne asked.

"Make it look like an accident." Morgan said.

They all nodded in agreement. In that moment they had all become judge, jury, and executioner of Shane Walsh. The details of their plan had not been decided, but Shane's fate had been.

…

Davia had made some sausage from the moose meat that Ingrid had given the group. She crumbled it up and was frying it to serve with gravy she would make from the drippings. She then added the left over cornbread from the night before and managed to make an odd version of biscuits and gravy, sans the biscuits. It was still pretty tasty though and Daryl wolfed down two plates before Zeek pounded on the door announcing his arrival.

"Rick said you are going with me this morning. You ready?" He asked in an almost angry tone.

"What the fuck's up with you old man?" Daryl barked back.

"Vienna was causing all sorts of drama last night about that asshole Shane. She lit out sometime in the middle of the night. I'm pretty sure I know where she went, and I just stopped by to check on Shane's status and he is MIA as well. The women over there said he had volunteered to go out and check the area and just assumed he was taking shelter somewhere because of the storm. It's bullshit and I know it. I swear if I catch him diddling my daughter I will rip his cock off and shove it down his throat." Zeek shouted.

"Where do you think they are? This weather is pretty bad and if they went anywhere on foot they could be in trouble." Daryl said. Part of him was hoping that Zeek would hold true to his threat. It would at least eliminate one of their problems. That being said, Daryl wasn't sure that he could actually kill Shane if it came right down to it. He would do whatever it took to protect Davia and the group, but that didn't mean that it would be easy. He wasn't wired like Morgan and Abe who were trained to take people out, no questions asked, and he wasn't like Rick, who had personally been wronged by Shane. Shane broke up his family and then attempted to kill Rick, so Rick had a personal vendetta in his favor. All Shane had done to Daryl was make snide comments and hit on Davia. Not exactly offenses worth dying over.

"There is a cabin on the other side of the peninsula where we would go fishing. It's more like an old fish shack. It would also be a perfect place for them to spend the night. Vienna took one of the snowmobiles so they aren't on foot. Dixon I know you are having a daughter soon, but I swear they are ten times the work of sons. I have half a mind to knock up Ingrid again just to try for a boy, there is too much estrogen in one house. You don't want to come over and live with us do ya?" Zeek joked.

"Fuck no…Davia is enough woman for me to handle. I'd go crazy with all those women in one house, which might explain a few things about you." Daryl joked back.

"Lets go find my daughter and give Walsh a proper talking too. He's crossed a line and I'm going to remind him of it." Zeek said, deadly serious in his tone.

Riding on a snow mobile was a new experience for Daryl, and of course Zeek drove like a madman. It took a lot of strength and coordination to operate the vehicle, and it also took strength and coordination not to fall of the thing with Zeek's driving. Daryl had to admit that even with the freezing temperatures, it was an exhilarating experience, similar to riding Merle's motorcycle. He was thankful that Davia had suggested he wear a ski mask, knowing he really looked like a criminal, but for once he didn't care. It beat the hell out of frostbite.

They reached the fishing shack in about fifteen minutes and they didn't even need to enter the place to know that something was very wrong. Vienna's snowmobile was crashed into a tree and there was blood in the snow. The front door was open and as soon as Zeek parked the vehicle Daryl jumped off the back to investigate what he could.

Zeek was right behind Daryl and the first thing they saw was a body in the snow. Quickly both men brushed away the snow that concealed the identity and within seconds they determined it was Shane. His throat was slashed and there was an arrow through his eye. The body had been beaten severely and it was obvious that the damage done to Shane was a result of numerous people attacking him at once. It was savage and Daryl's stomach dropped thinking about Vienna.

"Stay here." Daryl said to Zeek, but Zeek refused to listen to Daryl. He shoved Daryl out of the way and quickly headed inside the shack. Daryl was right behind him and the smell of death was prevalent in the air. Vienna's naked body was strapped to the bed and she also had been brutally victimized. It was obvious that she had been sexually assaulted and Zeek cried out as he saw his young daughter in this condition.

"Cover her up!" He yelled. Daryl wasn't sure if Zeek even realized she was dead. Daryl quickly found an old quilt in the closet and draped it over Vienna's body, covering her up gently. Zeek was smashing things in anger and Daryl wasn't sure what to do.

"Zeek, go outside and let me take care of this in here. You don't need to see this." Daryl told the man.

"No, She's my girl and I will take care of her." He said stubbornly.

"Zeek listen to me…this is brutal and you don't want this to be your last memory of her." Daryl insisted. Surprisingly, they both noticed movement under the quilt and Daryl realized he was wrong about the girl being dead.

"Quick, let's get her out of here and to the doctor." Zeek screamed. Daryl rushed to the bed with the girl's father, and pulled back the quilt to revealing Vienna's opened eyes. However, they were the eyes of the dead, and they both realized that she had turned into a Walker.

Zeek dropped to his knee's "No, No, No, No, No…." he exclaimed in a painful cry.

Her body tried to break the restraints that she had been tied with, but fortunately they held, but the sounds of the snarling were gut wrenching. Daryl reached inside his coat and pulled out his buck knife, knowing he needed to put it through her brain to permanently end her life. "Please Zeek, go outside while I do this." He begged this time, but the obstinate man refused. Instead he took Daryl's knife from him "I'm going to take care of my baby girl one last time." He said as he took the knife and reached over to shove it through her brain.

"I'm so sorry baby girl that this happened to you, but I will find out who did it and they will pay with a death worse than anything they could imagine." He said, tears slipping from his eyes as he pushed the knife through her brain, ending her young life permanently.

Zeek wrapped the blanket around his daughter and cradled her body to his and began to rock her back and forth. Daryl slipped outside to see if he could find any clues as to who did this heinous crime. He now knew that at least one of them had a compound bow. He tried counting footprints and he could make out at least four different sets of prints besides Vienna's and Shane's. The snow had covered up some of the clues, but not all of them. Daryl estimated that based on the rate of snowfall and the amount of snow on Shane's body and the snowmobile that the incident had occurred about four to six hours earlier. That meant that these guys could be anywhere. However, they were most likely still in the area. They were probably the same group of men Benny had encountered and now Daryl was desperate to talk to Benny about the actual details of what happened to him. Benny was crucial now to helping them find these men before they hurt anyone else.

Daryl walked over to the smashed snowmobile and found another clue. It was a note "_**She was a tasty treat…who's next?" **_

Daryl quickly shoved the note in his pocket, not wanting Zeek to see it. One thing for sure, this group was watching them at least some of the time. The taunt was proof that they were playing a deadly game, and now Daryl wanted to return to the camp and warn Davia and the others. It would probably be in Zeek's best interest for him to move his family permanently behind the walls and into the safety of the lodge, at least until they caught these marauders.

Daryl went back into the shack and Zeek had neatly wrapped Vienna's body in the quilt. "There is a sled out back we can use to pull them back to the camp." He said calmly.

"Leave Shane here for now, I want Rick to take a look at the scene and weigh in on what he thinks. We'll take your girl back and give her a proper burial." Daryl said, reaching over and placing a hand on the giant man's shoulder.

"Ingrid…what am I going to tell her? This will break her." Zeek said, once again fighting back tears.

"Davia and Ingrid have become close and I think when we head back to the camp we should get Davia. She will be good to have with us when we tell her. Zeek, you need to move your family into the camp until these asshole's are caught. We can't risk them attacking your wife and girls while you are out." Daryl said.

Zeek simply nodded, too broken to speak. They secured Vienna's body to the sled and made a slow and careful trek back to the camp. The news they were about to deliver was going to be devastating and everyone was going to need to be strong and focused, or the unseen enemy would have their way and destroy them. It wasn't the dead they needed to fear, but it was the living, and right now they didn't know who or how many of them they were dealing with.

**This is going to be a story of epic length...Hope you are not offended by a long story.**

**So, I really took my time with this chapter, and a lot happened. I Would LOVE to know what you think, and as I mentioned, there are going to be some character deaths coming over the next few chapters. I'm taking suggestions on who you want to survive...**

**Please be patient with me as I am struggling to find time to write...I promise in the next month I SHOULD be getting more time to do so...**

**Take care and please enjoy. Love each and everyone of you...**

**Happy Father's day and PLEASE BRING ON OCTOBER AND SEASON 6!**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	36. Chapter 36

**This is a long one...**

The men arrived back at the camp with Vienna in tow. Immediately as they approached the gate Tara and Liesel ran to open it up and meet them. Tara spoke first "Oh my God, is that a body?"

Zeek looked at his daughter and with a quivering voice he told her "It's Vienna."

Liesel's voice cracked "It can't be daddy…no…momma is gonna die." She said as she broke down rushing to her father's arms. Liesel was a tough woman, but at the moment she was Zeek's little girl and the news that her sister was now dead was overwhelming for her. Tara stood their stoically, sad that her lover was hurting so deeply, but not really knowing what she could do to comfort her. In all of her government training, they never once taught their agents how to handle hurt and pain. The rules were that you just pushed it down and continued on, but Tara couldn't do this at this time.

Zeek then spoke "I want you to stay here and not go back to the house. I'm gathering everyone up and we are going to stay here until we catch the fuckers that did this. I can't lose anyone else." He told her.

"I'm going to find out who did this Daddy, and then…"

"You will do no such thing. This is my job to handle and you need to be strong for the rest of the family. If something happens to me, you and your sisters will need to take care of your momma. You girls are her world." He instructed her.

Daryl then spoke "I'm gonna go talk to Rick and then get Davia. Give me a few moments." Daryl said making his way back to the lodge.

Daryl found Rick in his cabin having a discussion with Carl. Carl's face was flushed and Daryl swore he heard the term "sexual experience" as he entered. Surely Rick had given Carl the "talk" already. And if he hadn't, then why was he having the discussion with the boy now? When Daryl entered the room both Carl and Rick looked relieved to have been delivered from the awkward conversation.

"Rick, we've got problems." Daryl stated.

"Carl, why don't you go check on Benny?" Rick instructed his son so that he and Daryl could talk in private.

"No, I'm old enough to know what's going on." Carl insisted.

"Fine. What's going on Daryl." Rick said opting not to argue with his son.

"Zeek and I went to retrieve his daughter after she lit out last night. She hooked up with Shane." Daryl began.

"I'm not surprised, does Lori know?" Rick asked.

"No, not yet. We found them…both dead." Daryl replied. "Zeek's devastated…we brought Vienna back with us. She had turned and Zeek had to finish her off. I'm about to grab Davia and then we are going to inform Ingrid. I also told Zeek that he needed to move his clan over here until we take care of whoever is doing this. I left Shane's body at the scene so you could take a look and see if you had some ideas about what had happened." Daryl said.

"I'll tell Lori." Rick said. At least one of their problems had taken care of itself and even though Lori was going to be devastated and most likely freak out, Shane would no longer be a threat to the balance of the group.

"Shane's dead?" Carl asked.

"Yeah, it looked like it was a pretty brutal death." Daryl told the boy.

"Good, he deserved it." Carl said coldly. Rick didn't make an effort to thwart Carl's comment.

"Like I said, I'll tell Lori. She's going to flip out and I have plenty of experience dealing with her meltdowns." Rick informed Daryl.

"Alright, I'm gonna go and get Davia and then head over to the Lindstrom's. When I get back we need to have a meeting with the group and let everyone know what's going on. No one needs to go beyond the wall until we have a plan in place. I don't want to lose anyone else." Daryl said solemnly.

"See ya in a bit. I wish we had a cabin to accommodate Zeek and his family, but for now they will need to stay in the lodge. Most everyone else has moved out so they can have some privacy. I'm surprised he agreed to give up the house for now." Rick said.

"I think it's only to protect his family. He ain't stupid and he ain't letting his pride get in the way of keeping his girls safe. He's worried about Ingrid, which is why we are bringing Davia." Daryl informed him.

"Good plan Daryl. Davia seems close with Ingrid and she is going to need her right now. I can't imagine how painful it is to lose a child." Rick said patting Carl on the back.

Carl then spoke "So that means that Enid will be staying with us for a while?"

"Why, are you interested in her?" Daryl asked.

Carl didn't answer.

"Well she's a pretty girl, but keep in mind of who her daddy is." Daryl warned. He now wondered if the conversation he walked in on with Rick and Carl was geared towards Carl's feelings toward Enid.

…

Daryl made the trek to his cabin to grab Davia. The snow had finally stopped and the wind had died down, but it was still unbelievably cold out. He had never been more thankful for the warm clothing that Davia had taken the time to purchase before they had left Georgia. At this point in his life he didn't think he could miss home more than he did right now.

Davia was sitting at the table mending some of Daryl's jeans when he walked in. "Davia, I need you right now." He said in a serious tone.

"Right now…here?" She said misinterpreting what he was asking. She thought he needed some sort of sexual relief, which she was more than willing to provide for him.

"Not like that. There was an incident. We found Shane and Vienna…they were murdered."

Davia gasped "What? Oh my God Daryl…who…Oh My God…what about Zeek, and Ingrid, Oh poor Ingrid." She said as tears filled her eyes.

"Honey, I need you to keep it together for me. We haven't told Ingrid yet. Zeek is a mess. He's trying hard to keep it together, but he is broken. His girls are his world and now we need to tell Ingrid. I know you and her have become close and I would like you to come with us to deliver the news. You may be able to offer some support that Zeek and I can't." Daryl told his wife.

"You don't even have to ask Daryl. Let me get my coat. You can tell me about what happened after we take care of this." Davia said as she grabbed her coat, gloves, hat, and scarf. After she had properly bundled herself up Daryl led her out to one of the Four-Wheel drive SUV's and then he retrieved Zeek.

Zeek led them up the steps of the massive house and they entered to find Ingrid and the girls in the kitchen baking bread. They all had big smiles on their face and Scarlet and Enid were covered in flour. Zeek's heart broke, as he knew what he was about to tell his family would devastate them.

Ingrid acknowledged her husband and looked surprised to see Daryl and Davia with him. "Hello Darling did you find Vienna?"

Zeek tried to speak, but seeing his family caused a lump to form as tears sprung from his eyes. For once in his life he had no words. Daryl picked up on Zeek's dilemma and then began to talk as Davia made her way to Ingrid.

"Miss Ingrid, we found Vienna, but it was too late." Daryl said.

"What do you mean 'too late'?" Ingrid replied.

"Someone had gotten to her, and she was no longer alive. I'm sorry." Daryl said as tenderly as he could. Immediately Scarlet, Enid, and Eliza began to sob as Corrine and Darla began to shout. "What do you mean she's no longer alive? Who did this?" Darla screamed.

Davia now was holding up Ingrid as she felt the older woman's legs wobble beneath her. "We don't know who did this, but Daryl and Rick will find them. I promise you that."

"Zeek, where is she?" Ingrid asked in an emotionless tone.

"The doc wanted to examine her before we prepared her for burial." Zeek explained.

"Take me to her." Ingrid said.

"Ingrid…she wasn't her self when we found her." Zeek informed his wife. Davia then realized that he was gently trying to tell her that she had turned.

"I don't care. I need to see her." She said emphatically. "You stay here with your daughters and I will have Daryl take me."

Daryl suddenly felt uncomfortable. The last thing he wanted to do was get in between Zeek and Ingrid, and he also wasn't sure Ingrid was prepared to see the condition of Vienna's body.

Zeek then spoke, a bit more forceful. "Ingrid you can't see her at this moment. We brought back a body, but it wasn't our Vienna. She had been brutalized beyond anything I had ever seen."

"What do you mean brutalized?" Ingrid asked. "Those things…they killed her…right?" She asked.

"It didn't look like it Ingrid. Humans had attacked her. She met up with Shane at the Fish Shanty like we suspected, but someone else got to them. The undead must of made it to her after the fact, but I'm suspect of that theory. Normally when the undead attack, they don't leave much behind. Her body was intact and there weren't any visible bites. It appeared she turned without being bit." Zeek said.

Daryl realized Zeek was correct in his assumption. He then whispered to Davia "you don't think that means we can turn without being bit? That would mean we all carry the virus."

Davia tried to process what Daryl just asked her. "I don't know Daryl, but it sounds plausible. We need to talk to Milton and see what he says. If this is true, then anyone who dies becomes a threat and we need to know."

Zeek and Ingrid's girls were falling apart as they heard the news about their sister and Zeek walked over to them and circled his arms around his five daughters, trying to comfort them. Ingrid then announced that she needed a moment and left the kitchen. "Go to her." Daryl said to Davia.

Davia left the kitchen and found Ingrid in Vienna's room sitting on the bed. The room was decorated like that of a typical girl…flowery and lots of photos and stuffed animals.

"Vienna hated Alaska. She always said as soon as she could she would leave and go to New York." Ingrid said.

"I think all girls have those type of dreams. I was going to go to Nashville and hit it big, but I never left Blue Ridge." Davia said.

"She would have gone…she had her father's stubbornness. Vienna was different than the other girls. She was the one who had the boys chasing her, had to have all the best clothes and designer brands. And trust me, Homer was not a place where those things could easily be purchased. We made several trips to the post office to pick up all the things she ordered from catalogs. We couldn't even really get the Internet out here." Ingrid laughed.

"She sounds like she was your high maintenance daughter." Davia stated.

"She was, and I loved every bit of it. She was full of life and dreams. Now I have to live with the fact that my last words to her were words of anger. Zeek and I had a horrible fight with her before she left. We warned her about getting involved with Shane, and she told us that he was miserable with Lori and that he wanted the two of them to just get out of the area." Ingrid said.

"Ingrid, Shane was a liar and a manipulator. I've known him for years and all he wanted was a conquest. None of this was your fault. Shane Walsh was a silver tongued devil and Vienna fell for it." Davia told her, trying to offer some words to take away the guilt that Ingrid was feeling.

"We warned her, but she wouldn't listen. A part of me knew what she was going to do, but I was surprised she did it so soon and in the blizzard. That falls on me for not keeping a better eye on her. Davia, no parent should have to bury their child, but here we are." Ingrid said the final words as tears rolled down her cheeks. Davia rushed to the older woman and engulfed her into a hug.

"She would have gone anyway Ingrid. It might not have been last night, but it would have happened. And whoever did this to her, would have most likely done the same thing. We can't change what happened, but we can protect what we have left." Davia said as she smoothed the hair on Ingrid's head, offering every bit of comfort she could.

The two women stayed in a loving embrace for an extended period of time. Finally Ingrid broke the hug and looked at Davia. "Thank you my daughter. You might not be mine biologically, but I love you as if you were. God put you here for a reason, and I think this may be it. Can you go with me to the camp so I can prepare Vienna for her burial?"

"Of course Ingrid. Anything you need I'm here for you." Davia said.

…

Zeek gathered his family and several belongings to take to the camp. During the time that Zeek was informing his family of the tragedy, Rick made his way over to inform Lori about Shane's demise. Shane being murdered by an unknown party was both a blessing and a curse. There was no doubt that Shane was becoming detrimental to the well being of the group, but the idea that there was a violent band of individuals outside the walls of the camp was a dangerous prospect. Rick had known Lori since they were in high school, and as badly as things had gone between the two of them in the past year, he still had feelings for her.

Rick knocked on the door of the cabin that Lori and Shane were sharing with Carol and Sophia. Lori answered immediately and Rick could tell she was nervous about something. Carol was sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading a book.

"Rick, How could you have sent Shane out on security patrol in the middle of a blizzard?" Lori demanded.

"Lori I need to talk to you about Shane." Rick replied. Carol looked up from the book she was reading, interested in what Rick was about to say.

"He hasn't returned yet and I'm getting worried about him." Lori said in a panicked voice.

"I know Lori. That's why I'm here. Why don't you sit down." He told her, directing her to an empty chair at the table.

"What's going on?" She demanded.

"Lori, There isn't any easy way to tell you this, except to just tell you. Zeek and Daryl found Shane murdered early this morning. He wasn't on patrol last night, he left out to meet up with Vienna." Rick told her, hoping he wouldn't have to explain any more details to Lori.

"What do you mean 'meet up' and what do you mean he was murdered. Rick if this is a cruel joke to get back at me…" She said, her voice beginning to crack.

"It's not a joke Lori. Vienna left out in the middle of the night to meet Shane. Zeek and Daryl found them both murdered brutally at an old Fish Shack that Zeek owned a few miles from here. I'm sorry Lori. There just wasn't an easy way to tell you." Rick said in a sympathetic voice.

"What am I going to do? Who's gonna take care of me?" Lori said in a deadpan voice. No remorse for the loss of Shane's life, just a concern about her own well being.

Carol then took the chance to interject "It's obvious to me that Rick has enjoyed telling you this awful news, not surprisingly. Don't you worry about a thing Lori, Sophia and I are here for you and we will make sure you are well taken care of. Rick, I think you should leave. You don't give a damn about Lori and I think the last thing she needs to see right now is you gloating. I wouldn't be surprised if Daryl and Zeek were the ones who ended Shane's life and used Vienna's death as an opportunity to make it look like an accident."

"You can't be serious Carol." Rick said angrily.

"I'm deadly serious Rick. You can't pull the wool over my eyes. Don't you think it's a bit ironic that Shane meets his demise just after he attacked you last night? I know how loyal Daryl and Zeek are to you. I feel bad that Zeek lost his daughter, but I wouldn't put it past Daryl to take advantage of such a tragedy. You need to leave now." She said, in a threatening manner.

"I will leave, but not without extending my sympathies to you Lori, and to let you know that Carl and I are still here for you. Things can never be the same way that they once were, but you are still an important part of our life. And Carol, you are wrong and I suggest you keep your conspiracy theories to yourself. The last thing we want is to divide this camp." Rick responded back to her.

"Is that a threat Rick? If so, you may want to watch your back. This camp was divided the minute you brought Nora Dixon Blake into our midst. I've got my eye on you and the Dixon's and I will do whatever I can to make sure the people I care about are safe, and if that means eliminating threats, then so be it." Carol huffed.

What happened to Carol? Rick wondered to himself. Was she that angry that he wasn't willing to have a romantic relationship with her? When she first came to him after Ed went off the deep end, she seemed so together and caring, but now…now she was a monster and possibly even a bigger threat than Shane ever could have imagined being. Was Carol the enemy within? She certainly didn't seem concerned about the threats outside the wall. Rick wasn't sure exactly what Carol's motives were, or even where her head was at, but she needed to be monitored before something even more tragic happened.

…

Daryl and Davia returned to camp with Zeek and his five daughters. The girls were somber and trying hard to hold each other up emotionally as were Zeek and Ingrid. When arriving at the camp Ingrid immediately found Liesel and embraced her oldest daughter, holding on to her as if it might be the last time. The normally tough girl fell apart in her mother's arms and Zeek had to excuse himself to keep from breaking down again. He wanted and needed to be strong for his girls, and he already shown too much emotion in front of them for one day. The pain of losing one of his own was almost too much to bear.

The Lindstrom's would have the run of the main lodge. Other than Gabriel, who was living in a small room in the back, everyone else had managed to get the cabins on the property in livable conditions and had taken up residency in those. Abe and Rosita had the cabin closest to the gate and Tara was sharing with them. That probably meant that Liesel would be spending her time there as well. Morgan and his family had taken the cabin closest to the back wall, and close to the secondary exit.

Beth had bravely told her father that she would be moving into Brad's cabin to share with him and T-dog. Surprisingly, Hershel gave his blessing and said that he approved of Brad and was happy that his daughter had found someone she could be happy with. That left him living with Glenn and Maggie closest to the barn where they could keep an eye on the livestock. They were surprised to find out that one of the mares they had brought with them was expecting a foal sometime in the spring.

Michonne and April would stay with Jacqui and Will in the cabin closest to Daryl and Davia, and Nora, Cesar, and Benny would staying at the cabin second closest to the newlyweds. If someone had told Daryl that his closest neighbors one-day would be his parents, living in separate dwellings he would have laughed. Now it was a reality.

Sasha and Bob had taken a smaller one bedroom cabin that was quite secluded and Tyreese and Karen took a two-bedroom cabin that they would share with Dale. Tyreese and Dale were growing quite close and the men enjoyed a nightly game of chess when it was possible. It was a healthy distraction for Dale, who was still mourning the loss of his precious Irma. Dale had also grown close with Andrea, who now looked to Dale as a surrogate father. They comforted each other with the loss of their loved ones and Dale had even developed an interesting and awkward relationship with Milton.

Milton and Andrea moved into the backside of the clinic together and Andrea had made their living quarters warm and inviting. Daryl doubted Milton even noticed as he remained completely enveloped in his medical training, caring for the group, and trying to determine what went wrong in the world of science to create the outbreak. Ironically, Milton seemed to click with the strange Eugene. As creepy as the guy was, there was no denying his brilliance.

Rick and Carl had staked the cabin in the center of camp. It allowed Rick to have access to everyone and also for him to have good visibility of what was going on in the camp around them. Being leader to this group was never anything Rick aspired too, it just happened. Daryl was thankful that it was Rick that was their leader, and not some idiot like Shane. For the most part Rick always managed to keep a cool head and didn't let his emotions get in the way of his decision making. He also trusted Daryl with everything, and that meant the world to Daryl. Rick was like the brother he never had. Merle always belittled Daryl, where Rick would always encourage Daryl's opinions. There was no denying it, Rick Grimes was good for Daryl Dixon.

…

Rick had spoke with Daryl regarding Benny. It was going to be tough, but they really needed to get Benny to tell them everything he could about the attack. The first thing Daryl needed to do was talk to his mother and prepare her for what would be happening.

Daryl walked up to the cabin and knocked on the door. Cesar was asleep as he had been on watch twice already that day and had volunteered for a third shift. Daryl still hadn't really got to know Cesar, but he seemed to be good to his mother and brother, and that spoke well of him in Daryl's book.

"Daryl baby, I heard about Zeek's daughter…are you doing OK?" Nora asked concerned when she saw Daryl.

"Gotta be OK, there isn't any time not to be. Look, we think the men that killed Shane and Vienna are the same ones who attacked Benny. I really need to talk to him and get the details of what happened. I know it's gonna be hard on him, but we gotta know who we are dealing with. I'm not really asking ya, I'm telling ya. The only thing I wanna know is if he wants to talk to me and Rick, me alone, or if he wants you there with him." Daryl informed his mother.

"We can ask him. He's been in his room keeping to himself for the past few hours and I haven't pushed him for any information. Daryl, please don't upset him. He's keeping a lot inside and Benny doesn't handle expressing his feelings too well." She informed him.

Daryl could relate because he had spent his entire life pushing down his feelings. To be honest, he still pretty much kept them to himself, and usually if he let them out they came out in anger. He wondered if Benny would be the same way. "I'll handle it, but what he has to say is important."

They knocked on Benny's door and he answered it, looking surprised to see Daryl standing there with his mother. "Daryl, what's up?" He said addressing his older brother.

"Gotta talk to you about what happened. Just wanna know if you want momma and Rick here when we do speak. Not sure if you know what happened to Shane and Vienna, but I think that it was the same crew you came across. I know you don't wanna talk about it, but we gotta." He told the teen.

"I'll talk to you only. Momma doesn't need to hear it, and I don't know Rick." Benny said. Nora nodded and excused herself from her youngest son's room, but not before giving him a quick embrace and some words of encouragement.

"Be brave and tell him everything you know Benny. I won't ask any questions, but this is important for all of us." She then gave him a kiss, at which Benny responded with an annoyed face.

"I'll be fine momma, I ain't a little kid." He said in frustration.

Nora left and Benny sat down on his bed. Daryl noticed he had out a sketchpad and was drawing something.

"Whatcha drawing over there?" Daryl asked curiously.

Benny shrugged his shoulders then turned around the sketchpad to reveal a drawing of the Alaskan Wilderness. He had captured the bay with the mountains in the background. Daryl was taken back by the amount of detail Benny had included.

"That's pretty damn good. What else can you draw?" He asked.

"Pretty much anything. I used to have quite the collection of naked girls, but momma wasn't too pleased about it and my dad told me I was perverted." Benny said.

"Was it tough growing up with Philip Blake as your dad?" Daryl asked out of curiosity.

"Piece of cake." Benny replied coldly. "Actually it really sucked. Everything to him was about his political positioning. People thought he was this caring and brilliant man, and deep down he was a monster that would stop at nothing to get himself in a position of power. He wanted to be President, and I guess now he is. You do know there will come a point where he is going to try to get me and momma back. Not because he cares about us, but because he deems us as his property. Daryl I hate him... is there something wrong with me because I do? I mean, momma told me about the things you went through with your own father…Do you love him even after all of that?"

It was an honest question, and Daryl was less than prepared with an answer. Did he love Will? Will was a good man…now, but before, he was a sadistic abusive bastard. He did things to Daryl that scarred him for life both physically and mentally…but did Daryl love him? The best Daryl could do was grunt and just answer "It's complicated."

"But I think you can see why I feel the way I do about my father."

"Don't know much about the man other than he was a dick and he has fucked up the world, but I can definitely see why you feel that way. I'm surprised someone hasn't put a bullet between Blake's eyes." Daryl said.

"Only because he has minions that will do whatever they can to protect him. They are fools if they think he would be loyal to them. His right hand guy was Steve. I thought Steve was pretty smart, but even he was fooled by the silver tongued devil. We're all better off here in Alaska then dealing with the mess my dad has made of things in this world." Benny told Daryl. Daryl simply nodded.

"So, are you ready to tell me what happened?" Daryl asked.

Benny bit his bottom lip "Yeah, I'm ready."

"Why don't you start at the point April dumped you out on the side of the road." Daryl told him.

"I was cold and knew we had actually headed South instead of North. I was also pretty pissed off because I thought I was finally gonna get laid." Benny mused.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's what April wanted you to think. So where exactly were you when you started walking?" Daryl asked.

" I guess I was about twenty miles or so from here. The bay opened up pretty wide and you couldn't see across it at the point where I was originally. The bay was on the left, and there were rocky ledges to the right of me. I was heading north." Benny explained.

"How long were you walking before you came across the men that did this to you?" Daryl inquired.

"I was walking about an hour or so. They pulled up in a truck and quickly got out. It was an extended cab, black in color and pretty beat up. There were seven of them, four in the truck and three in the bed of the truck. I thought it was strange since it was so cold that they would be riding exposed like that." He told Daryl.

"Then what happened? Did they speak?" Daryl asked.

"There was an older guy, his name was Joe or George or something like that. He asked me where I was going and I said home. He just laughed and said there wasn't any 'home' anymore. The next thing I knew one of the guys slugged me and threw me in the back of the truck. They were laughing hysterically and I told them to let me go." Benny said.

"Did any of them say anything to that?"

"They said I was theirs now and that I was gonna be a fun distraction." Benny said, not able to make eye contact with Daryl. Daryl swallowed hard, worried about what Benny was going to tell him next.

"They dragged me back to their camp. It was a cabin way off in the woods. I don't even think there was a path that led to it. The ride was rough and I didn't have anything to hold onto to. At this point they had me bound up and I just bounced around in the back of the truck…and they just kept laughing. I picked out some names, Billy, Lou…and Len. Len was a dirty motherfucker with the beadiest eyes I have ever seen. And they all stunk to high hell. It was a mixture between piss, cigarettes, liquor and body odor. Doubt any of them had taken a bath in a while." Benny remembered.

"Were there any women at the camp?" Daryl asked him.

"Not that I saw. They dragged me into the cabin and chained me to a beam in the middle of the room. Blindfolded me too…though I'm not sure why, I had already seen their faces. The first night I was there nothing really happened other than they all drank heavily and played cards. One of them took the luxury of standing up to take a piss on me and the others just laughed. I knew what they were doing, they were trying to break me down, but when you have Philip Blake as a father it takes a lot more than just piss to humiliate you." Benny mused.

"So this was pretty much the first day after y'all disappeared?" Daryl asked.

"No it was the second day. April and I were together for the full first day." Benny corrected.

"They all continued to drink and eat some shit they were cooking over a fireplace. I swear it smelled horrible in that cabin. Like rotten meat or something."

"They were probably trappers at one point and time. Most likely had a pile of hides somewhere close to the cabin. Those things stink badly until they are properly tanned." Daryl informed Benny.

"Possibly. One of them mentioned something about checking on the "pot", but I don't think they were talking about what they were cooking in and I don't think they were talking about weed either. I kept hearing a thumping sound, so I think they were brewing something." Benny said.

"That's pretty observant of ya." Daryl commended his younger brother.

"Yeah, smelled faintly like bread too, my guess is it was from yeast. Most likely had a still close by." Benny said.

"So nothing really happened to you the first day you were with them. What happened the second day?"

"I had to piss something awful, and they just told me to do it where I was. So I did. I figured if I was covered in my own body fluids that it might deter them from coming after me. These guys were feral to say the least, so I was willing to do what I could to protect myself. To be honest, I kinda knew what they wanted to do with me. They wanted to use me to get their rocks off and I was not willingly going to oblige them. So anything I could do to try to keep them from me…I was willing to do."

"So they left you there for another day untouched. That's interesting." Daryl said.

"Well they left out and left me there bound up. They returned the next night with someone else, I didn't see the other person, but I heard her. It sounded like a young girl. She screamed something awful while they all took turns with her. It was blood curdling screams. One of them referred to her, as a "Native" so I figured it was one of the children from the local Eskimo villages. I also heard them say that it was a fair trade. They must have traded some of the liquor for the girl. It was pretty sick." Benny said, his face showing how upsetting the sounds of what he heard were to him.

"We haven't really dealt with any of the local villages, and to be honest I'm not really sure where they are in the area. I assumed everyone was pretty much wiped out by the virus. I'll talk with Abe and Zeek to see if I can find out more. So how did you get away?" Daryl asked.

"It was either the third or fourth night that the men got shit faced drunk. Started calling me a filthy prick. They finally took the blindfold off and the light actually hurt my eyes at first. Len jerked me up off of the floor and unbound my hands. He suddenly yelled "Claimed" and I thought that was strange. Then the others started objecting saying I was community property. One of them told me he liked my ass, and I told him he was a sick bastard. He didn't take too kindly to that and began to beat me, and the others joined in. I was seeing stars and it hurt something bad. The next thing I knew one of them had me bent over the table and was ripping off my clothes. I knew they were gonna rape me, but apparently one of them got jealous because he couldn't be first and they began to fight amongst themselves. The old guy sat in the corner and told them they had to fight it out. All hell broke loose with them, and I realized it was my chance to get away. I grabbed a knife on the table and stabbed the Lou guy. While they were all trying to figure out what exactly happened I made a break for the door and was able to escape. I ran as fast as I could and hit the woods. They were heavy with trees, but that worked in my favor."

Daryl took a deep breath "So they weren't able to have their way with you. That's good."

"Yeah, that part was. But it was as cold as I ever experienced, and I had no idea where I was. I ran for hours and fortunately they sucked at tracking. Most likely because they were drunk. I was so tired I finally found a place under a rock ledge to sleep. I nestled myself in a bunch of leaves and was able to keep myself relatively warm. I didn't have clothes or anything to light a fire with, but somehow I survived. Eventually I found my way to the road and started walking north. This time I stayed along the tree line though, just in case they came back looking for me. I headed North not really knowing where I was, but I was either going to come back up to the camp, or hit Homer. And if I hit Homer, then I would just turn around and go south." Benny said.

"You're a pretty smart kid. Saved yourself and that is something to be damn proud of. I know it was bad for ya, but it could have been worse. They could have raped ya, or killed ya. You took a hell of a beating, but you survived. I think with some proper training that you could be a total bad ass. You've got smarts and good survival skills." Daryl said, offering his admiration to the younger boy.

"You think so?" Benny asked, pleased with Daryl's comments.

"I know so. Let me ask you something, do you think you could sketch what those men looked like?" Daryl asked.

Benny thought for a minute "I could. Do you think it would help?"

"Couldn't hurt. One more thing, did you notice their weapons?" Daryl replied. He now had some information he could approach Rick with. They needed to see if they could find the place where Benny was first picked up and start from there. Even though Benny didn't think there was a path that led to the cabin in the woods, that didn't mean that there wasn't any evidence of where they were exiting the road.

"Len had a compound bow, the others had hand guns and knives, but nothing major." Benny said.

Daryl stood up to leave Benny to his drawings. "Benny, I'm glad you are OK. I just met ya and I want to get to know ya better. Would you be up for a hunting trip with me one morning?" Daryl asked.

"Really? You would take me with you? I'd love it." He told his older brother.

"As soon as things get calmed down around here then we will go…I promise." Daryl said.

…

Daryl went and found Rick and relayed the information Benny had told him. Rick informed Morgan and Abe what he and Daryl were doing and that they needed to relay to everyone that there would be a meeting when they returned. The two men then borrowed the Snowmobile and headed to the Fishing cabin to retrieve Shane and look for clues.

"Looks to me like Shane was trying to get away while they had Vienna tied up inside." Rick said.

"How do you know that?" Daryl asked.

"Shane's boxers are in the cabin, so he and Vienna were most likely in the act of sex when they were attacked. The door is kicked in and they were caught by surprise. I always knew Shane would get caught with his pants down. His dick was his kryptonite." Rick said.

Daryl had to fight back a chuckle after Rick's comment. "So you think they were surprised by the group, and the assholes focused in on Vienna first, allowing Shane to attempt to get away. Fucking coward…why wouldn't he try to protect the girl?" Daryl inquired.

"Because to Shane, Vienna was nothing but a conquest. Looks like he made it as far as the snowmobile, and then had no idea how to operate the thing. He must of started it up in a panic and crashed directly into to the tree. It probably stunned him and made it easy for a couple of the men to get him. By the looks of the body they beat him badly, and then finished him off with an arrow through the brain." Rick surmised.

Daryl reached into his pocket and pulled out the note he found "Found this. They are fucking taunting us now." He said as he handed the note to Rick.

Rick looked at it "This is a game to them. They probably have been watching us for a while. Most likely they are trying to pick us off one by one, which means they see our overall numbers as a threat, but if they can eliminate the group one by one, then they can take the camp and the supplies. By taunting us they think they are instilling fear, which can lead us to making mistakes. We need to get back and tell everyone what we found. No sugar coating it, we need to be up front and too the point. Everyone has to be aware of what we are dealing with."

"Agreed." Daryl said to Rick. He also wanted to get back and spend some time with Davia. Her lack of training had gone on too long and he wanted to start immediately to show her how to defend herself properly.

"Once we address the group we need to organize better, re-secure the walls, and then get a search party together to see if we can find these bastards." Rick told Daryl.

"Ready when you are." Daryl replied.

…

Davia had made a decision while Daryl was gone that she hoped wouldn't anger her husband. After moving Zeek, Ingrid, and their daughters into the main lodge she thought about all of them sharing one room. Zeek and Ingrid would have zero privacy and she thought that at this point, the couple may need time to grieve together, alone. So out of the goodness of her heart, she told the couple that they were more than welcome to have the spare room at her and Daryl's cabin until they could get the situation under control.

"Ingrid, you and Zeek can move your things in with us while you are here." Davia told the older woman.

"No darling, we can't impose. You two are newly weds and need your privacy." She insisted.

"As you and Zeek need yours. Look, you two have done plenty for Daryl and I; hell you have done so much for this camp. If it hadn't been for Zeek's generosity of sharing all his resources this camp might not exist anymore. Please, I insist." She said.

"Fine, I'll tell Zeek. But you have to let us help you out." Ingrid said.

"Whatever you wish Ingrid." Davia said as she wrapped her arms around her newly adopted mother and gave her a loving embrace.

"Davia, can I ask you a favor?" Ingrid asked, almost in a whisper.

"Anything." Davia told her.

"Will you come with me to tend to my daughter before we bury her? I don't want Zeek to have to see her again in the condition he found her." Ingrid said.

Davia had never really seen a dead body up close, but right now Ingrid needed her, just as Davia needed Ingrid a few days earlier. "Whenever you are ready I will be there with you." Davia assured her.

"After our meeting with Rick." Ingrid said.

…

As promised when Rick and Daryl returned they assembled everyone into the main lodge to report what they had found.

"We have a definitive threat and they are aware of all of our coming's and going's here at the camp." Rick started off. The room soon filled with gasps and Maggie then spoke up.

"If they are close enough to know what we are doing then why can't we find them?" She asked.

"Well for one thing, we just found out. The other is that we are surrounded by a heavily wooded area and they could be anywhere." Daryl told her. "Now that we know we will be more vigilant in being more aware of what is going on around us. We will need to be more organized with our watches, and it couldn't hurt to set up patrols in the area."

"I volunteer!" Michonne stated emphatically.

"I don't know if that is a good idea Michonne. They are rapists, and even though you are more than capable of defending yourself, you would be a primary target." Rick replied.

"Then you go on patrol with me." Was the solution she offered.

"That's a possibility." Rick then said, easing her concern.

"Liesel and I will take a patrol." Tara said.

"No, we can't risk two females at one time, I understand you are both strong…" Rick started before Tara interrupted.

"Rick, I was trained by our Government, and being in the CIA prepares you for a lot worse than some rogue hooligans. I would make a suggestion though, instead of patrols of two, it might be advantageous to send out patrols every six hours in groups of four. We have plenty of military equipment we brought with us and it may be time to use it." Tara suggested. Liesel looked at her partner proudly as Tara proposed a good plan.

Daryl supported Tara's plan completely "The girl's got a good point. The only thing I would add is that we don't make it obvious that we are doing these patrols. Maybe we catch them off guard."

"Agreed. Abe and Morgan, why don't you two with the help of Rosita and Tara spend a few hours going over the military equipment and how it works. Michonne, I want you to be on point with them as well so you can help with physical training. We have put it off as long as possible. Each of us need to know exactly how to defend ourselves WHEN we come face to face with the marauders." Rick said.

Everyone agreed and immediately Abe and Morgan began taking everyone to the locker where they had stored all of their military gear. There were fatigues, night vision equipment, and some high powered weapons along with various other items.

Carl had started off towards the locker when Rick called to him. "Where are you going son?"

"You said we needed to learn, so I'm going to learn about this stuff. I need to be able to defend everyone just as much as you do." Carl said.

"Not yet, you're too young. I need you to do something for me though, and you're not gonna like it." Rick said.

"What?" Carl said in angry tone.

"I want you to take your things and move over to your mother's cabin. I'm worried about her and there isn't anyone over there but Carol and Sophia. I know you and Sophia get along well…" Rick said.

"You can't be serious. I'm not a little kid dad, and mom deserves everything she gets." Carl yelled.

"She made mistakes Carl, but we all have. She is still your mother, and I would feel better having you there to watch her and protect her. Just between you and me I don't fully trust Carol and I don't want her to put your mother or Sophia at risk, Can I please count on you for this?" Rick pleaded.

Carl was less than happy, but his father made a good point. Carl had a weird feeling about Carol and maybe if he were there he could figure out what was going on with her. "Fine." Carl said reluctantly.

"Good. Come with me to the cabin and I'm going to give you a gun. I know you know how to shoot it, but I want you to use the utmost caution before using it. Do you understand?" Rick said sternly.

"Yes sir. What about the other's my age, are they going to handle Patrols as well?" Carl inquired.

"No, I think you are all capable of handling watch on this side of the wall, but for now we will omit you from being on patrol. I don't think that Milton, Eugene, the Reverend, or the older individuals in the group need to be outside the gates as well." Rick told his son.

"Fine." Carl replied, not putting up as much of a fight as Rick thought he would.

…

As soon as the meeting was over Davia made her way to Daryl. "I'm going to go with Ingrid to take care of Vienna, and then I'm going to meet up with everyone for training."

"Davia, I can't tell you no, but if you decide you want to go on patrol I'm going to insist you go with me." Daryl told her.

Davia could barely contain the smile on her face. She was certain Daryl would tell her that she would not be allowed outside the walls, but he surprised her with his answer.

"Deal, I would prefer to be with you anyway. And Daryl, Thank you for not fighting me on this." She said as she reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I knew you would want to participate, and I don't think it's a bad idea. You need to learn to defend yourself just in case I'm not around." He told her.

"Um, since I have you agreeing with me, I also have something else to tell you. I've invited Zeek and Ingrid to stay with us until we find these guys. I just couldn't leave them in the lodge without privacy, not with what they are dealing with. They need to grieve together, and alone." She told her husband.

"No, I'm glad you did. We still have a bedroom with a door that shuts, you just have to keep your screams down to a dull roar or I'm gonna have hell to pay with Zeek." Daryl told his wife.

"Well from what Ingrid has said to me, they might have to do the same. You know there is a reason they have seven daughters. But to be honest, with everything going on I doubt there will be any hanky panky for a while." She informed him.

"Yeah, most likely. I'm proud of you Davia. A few days ago I thought you were just going to take your shit and leave me, but you are really stepping up to help out the group. You are a lot tougher than I gave you credit. As long as you are on patrol with me, I'm not going to panic. I know I told you to leave the fighting to others, but right now we just don't have a lot of capable people. Later on after the training, I need to talk to ya about something, if that's OK." He said.

"Of course it's OK, you can talk to me about anything. Is something wrong?" She asked.

"No, not wrong…I don't think, but I want your opinion." He told her.

"Anything Daryl." She told him, and he pulled her to him and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"I love you." He said as he walked away to join the training.

…

Ingrid and Davia made the long trek to the clinic that held Vienna's body. Milton and Andrea met them at the door and very kindly led them to the room where Vienna was located. "I'm very sorry for your loss Ms. Lindstrom. She was a beautiful girl." Milton told her.

"If you need anything at all, please let us know." Andrea said as she took her partner with her from the room.

Ingrid took a deep breath and made her way to her daughter's corpse. She stared at the sheet covering the body and tried desperately to find the strength to pull it back so she could prepare her daughter for burial.

"Ingrid, let me do it for you." Davia said. To be honest, she was terrified of what lay beneath the sheet, but seeing Ingrid struggle for the strength to pull back the sheet to see what was left of her daughter was almost too much for Davia to bear.

"We'll do it together." Ingrid said.

Davia wrapped her arms around Ingrid and they pulled back the sheet gently, allowing Ingrid to see her daughter's face one last time. Milton must have taken a lot of effort to clean up Vienna, because other than the slightly gray pallor of the skin, Vienna looked like she was peacefully sleeping. There were various bruises on her body, and a deep gash across her abdomen, but Milton had sutured up the wound.

Ingrid gasped at the sight of her daughter and before Davia could react, Ingrid was pulling the lifeless girl into her arms, sobbing. All Davia could so was stand there and watch Ingrid grieve. There wasn't anything she could do or say that would take away the pain Ingrid was feeling, so Davia let Ingrid do what she felt was necessary. After a few minutes Ingrid began to speak.

"Vienna was the most difficult of all my pregnancies. She tried to come early three different times. It was as if she wanted to get out into the world before she was ready. And wouldn't you know it, four weeks before her due date in the worse blizzard we had ever seen she finally made up her mind she wanted to be born. Zeek drove like a maniac to get me to the hospital in Homer, Practically throwing Liesel, Corrine, and Darla into the back of our vehicle and scaring the hell out of them. When we got to the hospital I was already eight centimeters and they weren't going to let Zeek in the room because we didn't have anyone to watch the girls. He raised such a fuss, and not only did they let him in the room, he insisted the girls be there too when there sister was born. It was just like Vienna to have such a dramatic birth." She told Davia in between sobs.

Davia herself was emotional seeing Ingrid's pain "I'm so sorry you have to endure this. I know nothing I say or do can take away the pain, but I am here for you as I promised Ingrid."

"Darling that means the world to me right now. Now help me get Vienna dolled up for her final show." Ingrid said. She had brought a bag of Vienna's personal belongings and the two women lovingly attended her body. Ingrid put Vienna in her favorite red dress, and brushed her daughter's hair to the side, gathering it with a jeweled clip. Davia applied make-up as Ingrid directed her on just how Vienna wore it and then Ingrid placed various pieces of jewelry on her daughter, including a small locket that contained a picture of Vienna when she was an infant, wrapped in Zeek and Ingrid's arms. The final step of preparation was Ingrid and Davia painting Vienna's fingernails a bright red that matched Vienna's lipstick.

When they were done Davia stepped back and admired the work the two women had done. "She looks beautiful Ingrid. Like a true Angel."

Ingrid laughed "She was far from an Angel, but she does look beautiful. This is how Vienna would want to be…flashy to the end."

"Are you OK?" Davia asked.

"No, but I will be. Honey, would you sing for us at her service?" Ingrid asked.

"Anything you want. Do you have anything in mind you would like for me to sing?" Davia asked.

"No, but I'm sure you can come up with something. We will bury her tonight at sunset, on the hill that overlooks the bay. Zeek left earlier to prepare her grave. It is a little more difficult because of the snow, but Zeek will find a solution to put his little girl away safely for her final rest." Ingrid said.

…

Davia was dealing with a lot of emotions, and after getting Vienna prepared for her funeral then she was able to meet up with Daryl as training was still taking place. She missed the portion about handling firearms, but was able to participate in a quick overview of hand to hand combat and how to properly handle a knife. During the brief training Davia had a victory when she successfully took Morgan to the ground, bringing on the applaud of everyone participating in the group. Carol asked if she could challenge Davia, and was quickly shot down by Rick, who pointed out that this was training to learn how to defend, not a WWE wrestling match. The comment embarrassed Carol greatly, but she didn't respond.

Shane was buried without any fanfare just outside the walls of the camp. Lori didn't have the energy to even argue about there not being a service for him. She had drawn inward and Rick was sincerely concerned for her and the unborn child. Even Carl wasn't putting up a fight as he moved his things into his mother's cabin. He agreed to sleep on the couch in the living area, giving Carol and Sophia one room, while Lori would remain alone in the room she had been sharing with Shane.

Vienna's farewell was another matter. They had a viewing in the main room of the Lindstrom's home and Father Gabriel delivered a touching Eulogy. When it came time to sing as Ingrid had requested, Davia asked Brad and Beth to join her. Daryl looked on sadly as he could see just how much losing a daughter was hurting Zeek. He was glad that he and Ingrid would be staying with them, as Daryl had grown a close bond with the outspoken man. Daryl prayed that he would never outlive any of his children, including the one that April was carrying. He loved that little girl, even though she had yet been born and he made a silent promise to provide and care for the child as if it was his own. It was what Merle would want, and therefore it was what Daryl wanted as well. He was so blessed that he had Davia who was willing to take on raising the child as her own, no questions asked.

Davia sat down at the beautiful Grand Piano and began to play. It was a Sarah McLachlan song that she thought was fitting for the occasion.

_**I will remember you**_

_**Will you remember me?**_

_**Don't let your life pass you by**_

_**Weep not for the memories**_

_**Remember the good times that we had?**_

_**I let them slip away from us when things got bad**_

_**How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun**_

_**Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one**_

_**I will remember you**_

_**Will you remember me?**_

_**Don't let your life pass you by**_

_**Weep not for the memories**_

_**I'm so tired but I can't sleep**_

_**Standin' on the edge of something much too deep**_

_**It's funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word**_

_**We are screaming inside, but we can't be heard**_

_**But I will remember you**_

_**Will you remember me?**_

_**Don't let your life pass you by**_

_**Weep not for the memories**_

I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to lose

_**Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose**_

_**Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night**_

_**You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light**_

_**And I will remember you**_

_**Will you remember me?**_

_**Don't let your life pass you by**_

_**Weep not for the memories**_

_**And I will remember you**_

_**Will you remember me?**_

_**Don't let your life pass you by**_

_**Weep not for the memories**_

_**Weep not for the memories**_

When they finished singing in three- part harmony, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Zeek had pulled his six daughters closely in a warm embrace, and Ingrid made her way over to Davia "It was beautiful and perfect. I will never be able to thank you for this."

"You just did Ingrid. I'm glad you allowed me to do this." She said.

After the memorial they all went to the hill to lay Vienna to rest. Each of them was taking a shovel full of dirt and covering up the body. When they were finished, each person lit a candle and sat it down by Vienna's graveside. Vienna was just a twenty-year old girl who had never fully got a chance to know the world. That being said, with the world in the state it was in at this present time, she would also miss out on the numerous hardships that were yet to come. Her death was both a tragedy and a blessing, but it didn't make the pain any less for the Lindstrom family.

…

After the service everyone headed back to the camp and retired to each of their own cabins for the evening. Zeek and Ingrid went to the main lodge to spend some time with their daughters before they retired for the evening and that left Daryl and Davia a few moments of reprieve to be alone.

Daryl sat down on the porch and lit up a cigarette and Davia followed outside and sat down beside him.

"It has been an emotional day." She said to her husband.

"That it has. It's hard to see someone as strong as Zeek hurting the way he is. You picture a guy like that as being completely indestructible, and just like that, he loses a child and proves to us all he is human." Daryl said.

"It was hard to see Ingrid hurting as well. Daryl I hope we never have to endure anything like that once we start having children." She said to him.

"Do you want a big family Davia? We never really talked about it." He said.

"I think three children would be a good number. I don't have what Ingrid has in being able to raise seven daughters. Could you imagine?" She asked him.

"I am still trying to come to grips with having one. You know, with the world being in the shape it's in, I wasn't sure if you would want anymore kids." Daryl said.

"No, just because it's not what it once was, doesn't mean I don't want a family. People raised families in worse conditions. The fact of the matter is that I love you Daryl, and I want to have your children and carry on the Dixon name. I think you will be an amazing father." She said.

"I ain't gonna lie, I'm scared to death about it. It's not like I had a good example coming up. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about though." He told her.

"What? That you aren't going to be a good father? Why would you think that?" Davia replied.

"No, not that. Today when I was speaking with Benny he asked me if I loved my father. I guess Momma filled him in on some of the things that happened to me coming up. I didn't know how to answer him." Daryl confessed to her.

"Hmmm…I can see the dilemma. Let me ask you this, if something happened to Will now, how would you feel?" She asked.

"I would feel like I was just getting to know him, and I would feel a sense of loss. If he had been the person he is now when I was younger, there would be no question." Daryl said.

"Daryl, you love me, and you loved Merle…I honestly think you love your father. I think a part of you always has, even when he was a angry drunk who was abusing you. I also think that Will loves you as well. Why don't you talk to him about it?" Davia suggested.

"What? How would I go about doing that? You know I don't handle the emotional shit well." Daryl said in a surly tone.

"Do it now Daryl, before it's too late. Will has been carrying a tremendous amount of guilt with him for years, and I'm not saying he shouldn't, but at what point is it enough. You have control over that Daryl. If Will were to die tomorrow how would you feel knowing he took that guilt to his grave? I'm not telling you what to do, because to be honest I see both sides of the fence on this one, but I don't want you to have any regrets." She said.

Daryl stood up and gave Davia a quick kiss "I'm gonna go talk to him. You are right, it's time to let the past go and get on with living in the here and now."

…

Daryl struggled with showing his emotions. Anger…he could handle that in spades, but love, caring, joy, and happiness, those were things he didn't know how to express properly. Davia was about the only person who got to see the true Daryl. He was comfortable around her and she was rewarded with seeing him express love and happiness, but no one else really had that privilege. Not even Merle. But after speaking with Davia, Daryl had decided that he needed to finally put the baggage from his past with is father away for good. As bad as things were, Daryl had still turned out to be a decent and honorable man, even if he was rough around the edges.

He made the trek next door to his father's cabin and knocked on the door. Jacqui answered and greeted him with a warm hug. "Daryl is everything OK?" She asked.

"Yes Ma'am, is my father here?" She asked.

"Will you have a guest." She said in a raised voice, bringing Will from the bedroom where he was reading his scriptures.

"Daryl, son, what brings you by?" He asked.

"I was wondering if we could talk." Daryl asked nervously.

"Of course we can…Michonne is over at Rick's, Jacqui would you mind giving Daryl and I some privacy?" Will asked.

"No problem honey, I have some things I can handle in the back room. You two take all the time you need." She said.

Jacqui left and Daryl was now alone in the main room with his father. "So what's going on Daryl? Are you OK?"

Daryl didn't waste any time "Can I ask you something? Do you love me?"

Will looked taken aback by Daryl's question. "Where is this coming from son?"

"Just answer the question." Daryl commanded.

"Well when you were born, I resented you. For one, I wasn't even sure you were mine. Then when I knew you were my son, I didn't know how to love you. I had already allowed the hate to root deep inside of me." Will admitted.

"Sorry I took up your time." Daryl said as he rose to get up and leave. Hearing his father admit that he hated him was too much for Daryl to bear.

"Wait Daryl…sit down and let me finish." Will said in a terse voice that Daryl hadn't heard in years.

Daryl did as his father instructed and sat down. "I did hate you at first, but then I began to realize you were my son and I developed feelings for you, but I was such a mess because of the drugs and drink I didn't know how to handle those feelings. I would beat you out of frustration and blame you because your mother left me. I didn't want to admit it was my fault, so I blamed you…and even Merle to a point. Then I would abuse you horribly and feel tremendous guilt…so I would drink more, and abuse you more. I repeated that cycle for fourteen horrible years. I ruined your life, and I knew I did. That is why I left. I loved you son, and it was on that day I left that I finally realized that if I did truly love you, I couldn't be around you anymore." Will told him.

Daryl sat there silently, wrapping his head around what Will had just admitted to him. "Why didn't you make the effort to just try to be a better father?"

"Because I was an alcoholic drug abuser. I didn't know how to be a better father, and as long as I stayed in Blue Ridge I wouldn't get any better. I grieved your mother leaving every single day, and you were the reminder of that. If I hadn't left when I did, we both know what would have happened. It was a terrible decision to make, but I loved you more than I loved myself at that point and I knew you were going to be better off without me. Daryl, did you love me?" Will asked.

"You know Benny asked me that today. I didn't know how to answer it, and then Davia asked me how I would feel if you were gone." Daryl told his father.

"Son, I want you to know, without a shadow of doubt that I love you with every fiber of my being. I would lay down my life for you right here and now no questions asked. It would be the smallest way I could offer up an apology for the misery I put you through. I carry the burden of regret every single day of how badly I treated you, and if I could go back in time I would do EVERYTHING different." Will said, tears running down his face freely. It was in that moment that Daryl finally received the absolution from his father that he had been seeking his entire life.

Daryl could feel the tears leaving his own eyes as his father had just admitted how much Daryl meant to him, and without thinking, he just let himself feel. He felt freedom for the first time and it was empowering. The next thing he knew, he and his father embraced in a loving hug that had been far too many years in the making. Will held his youngest son and Daryl finally managed to form the words "I love you Dad, and I forgive you."

Will Dixon had never heard a more beautiful sound in his entire life, and Daryl Dixon felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders.

**Sorry about the length of this chapter, and the fact it isn't really action packed, but there was a lot to cover. Very curious to know if you are mad at me for having Daryl forgive Will.**

**Please review and let me know. You faithful readers are incredible...and I can't EVER thank you enough. **

**Just realized that July is just around the corner and that means San Diego Comic Con, and our first look at Season 6...Can't wait. For any of you who got to go to Orlando this weekend, I hope you had a great time.**

**Take care and I hope to hear from ya.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	37. Chapter 37

Daryl had relayed to Zeek and Abe everything Benny had told him about the men who had taken the teen. Zeek had informed them that there were three different Native villages within a fifteen-mile radius, and only one of the villages was south of the camp. It seemed that south was the logical place to start, since that is where the men had picked up Benny.

"You think the boy would be up for a little ride? The weather is warmer today and the snow is melting, we might be able to find a clue if he can point out where he was picked up." Abe said.

"I'll ask him, but I think he is more than ready to get out of the cabin my momma is keeping him locked up in." Daryl told them.

Abe then spoke "I've got some shit to do around here to make sure we get the camp cleaned up and the walls re-secured, so do you think you and Zeek can handle this?"

Zeek then spoke "After what these assholes did to my daughter, I am more than able to handle this. When I find them they are going to face a reckoning worse than the fiery pits of Hell."

Daryl nodded in agreement. He wanted these motherfuckers taken care of as much as Zeek. To be honest, he was more than just a little nervous to be leaving Davia for a few hours. With what had happened to Vienna, he wanted her near at all times.

…

While Daryl was meeting with Zeek and Abe, Davia was in the process of seeking out Hershel. She found him in the barn tending to the hogs and goats.

"Hershel, Can I run something by you?" She asked.

"Of course you can darling. Is something wrong?" He asked in a concerned manner.

"No not at all. I wanted to ask you some questions regarding plants. I've been reading a few books on botany and I think we can turn one of the unused cabins into a greenhouse. It would mean constant tending to keep the temperature constant, but it would allow us to start seedlings that will have a better chance of surviving during the growing season, and we could possibly have fresh vegetables year round. I was going to attempt to grow herbs at first in my own cabin, and if that works I was planning on expanding it. Do you think it's a possibility?" She asked.

"Actually Davia, I think it is a great plan. I was interested in doing the same thing, but I wasn't sure if any one else would support the idea. You and I could work on it together. I also think Bethy might be interested too. You know she idolizes you Davia…she always has."

"I think the world of Beth too Hershel. She's like a sister and a best friend rolled into one. How are you handling her being with Brad?" Davia asked.

"If times were different, I wouldn't be too happy with her choice to live with him without the sanctity of marriage, but with things the way they are now, each day is a gift, and if this is what makes Beth happy, then I wish her nothing but the best. Brad is a good man who still holds onto some old fashioned values. He came to me as a man and told me just how much he cared about Beth, but he was concerned about the age difference and what I would think about her staying with him. That went a long way with me and I knew at that point that Brad was a man of honor. You know that Annette was a good twenty years younger than I was, so the age difference wasn't a concern as much as how he would treat Beth. I can rest easier at night knowing both of my girls have a good man to take care of them when I'm not around." He said.

"Don't talk like that Hershel, you will be around for a good long time. I don't want to imagine not having you here with us." She said giving Hershel a hug.

"Davia honey, I'm well into my seventies, even if the world wasn't in the shape it is now, each day when you get to my age is a gift. I feel blessed to be with this group of people. You know, Will talked to me this morning and told me that He and Daryl worked things out. I'm happy for them both. I knew Will when he was not a good man, and knowing how much he has changed his life gives me confidence that everyone is redeemable. He's going to be a good Grandpa to that baby when she is born." Hershel said to her.

"Yeah, I can't wait. I'm excited and scared at the same time. I don't really know much about being a parent, but I know how to love people, and coming up, that was the one thing I felt I missed out on, but now…I feel so much love from just about everyone." She admitted.

"Just about everyone? Who aren't you feeling loved by?" Hershel asked.

"April, Lori…Carol." She told him.

"I think April is starting to come around. Will told me just this morning that she requested Father Gabriel come see her. She feels close to him and I think that is a good thing. Will also said that April has been a good houseguest. She has been cordial and respectful. You might just be surprised Davia. Lori is just lost and doesn't know how to handle what is going on. She was raised as an only child who was spoiled and doted on, and she doesn't know any different. She is jealous of you, so keep that in mind." Hershel said.

"And Carol?" Davia asked.

"I'm not sure about Carol…she seems to be slipping from reality. Whatever Ed did to her and Sophia, it damaged her and instead of getting better, she's getting worse. She's angry and lonely at the same time. I'm keeping my eye on her and you should too." Hershel replied.

"Do you think she is dangerous?" Davia asked him.

"I think she could be. I hope not though. Now why don't you help me finish up in here and we can go take a look at one of those empty cabins." He said smiling at her.

…

Zeek, Daryl, and Benny were riding down the muddy road to see if they could locate clues about Benny's abductors. Zeek had done a good job of pushing down his grief and was now focused on exacting revenge on the men that killed his daughter. To be honest, if Zeek could dig up Shane and kill him again Daryl thought the man would do it. Not that Shane killed Vienna, but his actions did lead to her death.

Zeek was driving (like a normal human being for once) and Benny was instructing him on things he recognized along the way. Daryl's mind had left the conversation that was taking place between his brother and Zeek and wandered back to last night. After purging all of his pent up emotions regarding his father, Daryl returned to the cabin to the waiting arms of Davia. Zeek and Ingrid had retired for the evening after comforting their daughters and getting them settled into the bunkhouse.

It may have seemed like ill timing, but when Daryl climbed in bed with Davia, he felt a feral instinct take over and he and Davia engaged in a very intense and very free love making. She sensed her husband's needs, and was more than willing to satisfy him…his release was both physical and mental. He was certain that Zeek and Ingrid must have heard the couple's cries of passion, but to be honest, he didn't care.

When Daryl awoke this morning he was lying on his stomach, and all the scars of his past exposed, feeling Davia lightly trace his demons on his back. It was if those demons had now been freed and he enjoyed her gentle touches against his marred skin. Daryl loved Davia more than he had ever loved anyone or anything in his entire life. He hadn't known just how much he was capable of loving someone…but now he couldn't imagine not loving her. In the past he always thought love was an overrated thing that he couldn't figure out. But he had indeed figured it out, and he would die before he would sacrifice the intensity of the feeling.

"Right here!" Benny yelled bringing Daryl back to the situation at hand.

"You sure?" Daryl asked.

"Positive. This is where April kicked me out. I recognize the rocky ledges." He said practically jumping out of the vehicle.

"Get back in here Benny. If something happens to you Momma will kill me." Daryl yelled at his younger brother.

Benny huffed and got back in the truck "Now what?"

"You stay in here and keep warm. No offense Benny, but right now I need you for informational purposes only. I can't risk something happening to ya. Here…" Daryl said as he pulled a gun out of the glove box and handed it to Benny.

"What do you want me to do with it?" Benny asked.

"Keep your eyes open while Zeek and I look for your trail. It's pretty muddy, but the snow is gone and I might be able to still pick it up. From there we could trace to where those assholes met up with ya." Daryl informed the young teen.

Zeek and Daryl searched and Daryl found what he thought were Benny's tracks. "Get in the truck and follow me. I'm gonna walk the road until I find where the tracks end." Daryl said.

Zeek nodded and he and Benny followed Daryl for four miles. Daryl was able to locate the place where Benny's tracks ended and at least three other sets of footprints met them. He then spotted tire tracks that were not from Zeek's truck (Which had passed down this road at least three times now) and got into the vehicle.

"Follow those tracks and let's see if we can find where they veered off the road, it had to be before they got to the camp because we would have seen the vehicle." Daryl informed him.

"That's not completely true. There are some cutover trails that lead to a secondary road that takes you North East to Seward. They could have gone that way." Zeek told Daryl.

"Are they mapped?" Daryl asked.

"You're kidding right? The only folks that know about those cut-overs are locals. They traverse the area all over; in fact, one of the cut-overs is close to the camp on the back wall. It hasn't been used in years, but it is still passable. I used it to run the dogs up and down that path since they could go for a good long ways without needing to worry about crossing someone." Zeek informed Daryl.

"So that means these assholes could have passed by the camp and we wouldn't have known it. Shit, that makes the search that much harder." Daryl stated.

"It does, but it doesn't mean it's impossible, just means we gotta think out of the box." Zeek replied.

They followed the tracks for about a mile, but with the snow and the rapid melt that followed, the tracks had washed away. The area was a steeper, and the water flow increased, erasing the clues Daryl had hoped would stay intact.

"Let's take Benny back to camp and check on things. I wanna go to the Village near Homer you were telling me about. Maybe someone knows these guys." Daryl suggested.

"Even if they do, they may not tell us anything. You might want to bring something to trade, specifically liquor. You didn't bring any moonshine with ya from Georgia did ya?" Zeek inquired.

"We've got some liquor that should suffice. A few cartoons of cigarettes too." Daryl said.

"Well, that's a start. You are right though; Benny needs to stay behind. These people aren't for the faint of heart. Poverty and alcoholism has decimated the smaller villages and Benny doesn't need to be exposed to that. Darla wanted to help out with some charitable work before the turn, and she barely returned with her virtue. I had warned her not to go, but her hipster boyfriend talked her into it. Don't repeat this, but I hope the walker's ate his skinny jeans wearing ass. I hated him, but Ingrid told me I had to 'behave' and not say anything for Darla's sake. When I found out what happened I almost killed the motherfucker. Darla didn't talk to me for a week after that night and the scrawny bastard never came to the house again." Zeek told him, fighting back a smile.

"They sound like the type my brother used to run with." Daryl admitted to Zeek.

"I always prayed my girls would bring home someone like you…a good strong man, not some pansy ass like they all seemed to be attracted too. Liesel seemed to have the best taste. She might like the girls, but at least she made decent choices. Tara is a good girl, and I have no qualms with her, but men like Shane…They make me sick." Zeek told Daryl.

Daryl never thought he would hear that someone "wished" they would bring home a man like him. He always assumed that most parents would cringe if a Dixon crossed the threshold into their house. Daryl couldn't help but feel a little proud that Zeek thought so much of him.

When they arrived back at the camp, Benny went and sought out Carl. It was good to seem him socializing again and Daryl was relieved that nothing worse had happened to his brother. Benny had provided the sketches that Daryl had requested, and he hoped that when they went to the village, someone would recognize the men and tell them where they could be located.

Daryl went to find Davia and was surprised to not find her at their cabin. He asked around and Maggie told him that she had seen Davia with Hershel and Will and hour earlier. That peaked Daryl's interest as he continued to search for her. He found her, his father, and Hershel all inside an empty cabin. Hershel was intently explaining something to Davia and she was nodding in understanding.

"So we need to cut panels out of the roof and replace them with glass panes. I wonder where we could get those?" Davia asked.

"We can ask Zeek, he may know…or even have access to some. Plexi glass may work too, just something to let the light in." Hershel told her.

"Hey…what are y'all working on?" Daryl asked the trio.

Will then spoke "Davia has proposed putting in a Greenhouse so we can grow vegetables year round and we can start seedlings prior to the growing season. We are trying to determine what we need to do to make it happen."

"Daryl, are you OK with this?" Davia asked.

Daryl looked at Davia and gave her a rare smile "Of course I am baby girl. I'm proud of you. Does this have to do with those books you have had your nose in each night?" He asked her. He couldn't be any prouder of Davia if he tried. She was taking a rotten situation and trying to make it better. This place, it was now their home, and as shitty as it was, Davia saw the importance of making a permanent life for them. She had gotten over her feelings of inadequacy and was not thriving.

"Yeah, I've been reading a lot about plants, I am going to start growing some herbs in our kitchen, they will help make all those tasty animals you are fond of killing taste better." She teased him.

"Well you already are a damn fine cook, so I can't imagine it being any better, but I trust ya." He told her in a loving manner. God he adored her.

"Son, any luck on your excursion?" Will asked.

"Not really, we did find where they picked up Benny, but we lost the trail. Zeek and I are going to one of the local villages to see if we can find out something. Zeek said they aren't the friendliest of people, so I wanted to drop Benny off before we head back out." Daryl told them.

"Daryl, that sounds dangerous…are you sure you shouldn't take some more people with you?" Davia asked.

"Nah…they might become even more hostile if we show up with a group. Zeek's dealt with them before and I think just the two of us would be the best solution." He told her.

"If you think it's best, but I'm going to be worried about you." She said.

"Don't be, we'll be fine. We are bringing some things to barter with, and if things don't feel right, we'll leave." Daryl assured her.

She gave him a kiss and he slipped away to find Zeek. They needed to leave shortly before it got too late in the day.

…

Zeek had informed Daryl that it would be best that he do the talking. He had a strained relationship at best with the village, and they did not take kindly to outsiders. Zeek had employed a few of the men during the busy season when he was mining, and running a fishing boat. They at least knew him and knew he didn't put up with bullshit.

The village was more like a run down trailer park. Hodge podge houses had yards littered with abandoned cars and broken machinery. Daryl noted it looked a lot like some of the places he had grown up in. Women wandered about the village, eyes downward while dirty-faced children ran around with little supervision.

"This place is a dump" Daryl commented.

"Alcoholism and drug addiction leads to this. Did you see the grow houses on the left when we came in?" Zeek asked.

"I take it they aren't for growing food like Davia is trying to do." Daryl said.

"Not at all…they grow pot and trade it for liquor. They were doing that before the turn, but without any sort of law enforcement I am sure they are building up their operations." Zeek told Daryl.

"I see now why you didn't want your daughter trying to help out here, it seems pretty seedy." Daryl replied.

"Sometimes I think I sheltered those girls too much. I can't help but feel more than a little guilty about my Vienna. I should have made more of an example out of Darla's ordeal down here than I did, but those girls are headstrong and are gonna do what they want. I didn't want to push them away." Zeek said sadly.

"You can't blame yourself. My brother had some serious substance abuse issues and I tried everything in my power to get him to clean up, but he wouldn't listen." Daryl said, offering a small bit about his past to Zeek.

"Is that the reason your brother didn't come with you out here to Alaska? You brought your mother, father, and younger brother…to be honest I didn't know you had another brother." Zeek admitted.

"He passed a few months ago." Daryl then lifted his shirt, exposing the scar on his abdomen. "He gave me this as a parting gift. That's the reason Davia and I are raising April's baby…It's my brother's daughter. As bad as he was, I owe him this, that little girl is blood." Daryl told Zeek.

"And you are gonna love that little one just like she is your own. It's what men like you and me do. It ain't weak to care for your family…it actually shows great strength. In this day and age children are even more precious, because without them there won't be a future. Keep that in mind." Zeek said proudly. Daryl nodded at the man's words of advice.

Zeek pulled up to a house that had seen much better days. "Get out and stay behind me. Leave the crossbow in the truck, but keep a gun hidden. Got it?" Zeek commanded.

"Whose house are we at?" Daryl asked.

"It's the council building. These villages are run by councils…but trust me it's not like a normal city government. It's usually the roughest guys that run the villages. Think of it like the mob." Zeek said.

Daryl and Zeek walked up the rickety porch and then Zeek knocked on the door. An older woman answered the door, opening it ever so slightly. She gave him a slight smile "Mr. Zeek, glad to see you are still in one piece."

"You too Adelaide. Is Ray or any other of the council members in?" He asked.

"Let me tell them you are here. Please wait on the porch." She said before disappearing.

Daryl heard a slight commotion inside and finally a large shirtless man with long black hair and striking features opened the door. "Come in." He said curtly.

"Ray…it's been a while." Zeek commented.

"What do you need." Ray said. He was over six feet tall and Daryl noticed he was covered in scars and tattoos. To say the guy looked intimidating was an under statement. Daryl also picked up the scent of sweat, cigarettes, and booze.

"We're looking for some assholes that raped and killed my daughter. We think you might know who they are and where we could find them." Zeek said bluntly.

"Can't help ya." Ray responded coldly.

"You know something…don't you?" Daryl said, against Zeek's wishes. Daryl then pulled out the sketches Benny made and thrust them in Ray's face.

"I suggest you remove those out from under my nose or I will rip your fucking arm off." Ray said loudly, prompting some men in the other room to now make their way to the hallway where the three men stood.

Daryl reluctantly pulled the drawings away from the man and Zeek raised his hand to Daryl, causing Daryl to cease from speaking.

"Ray, we go back a long way, and have shared more than one drink together. You knew my girls and I need your help to find these fuckers. I also think one of your local girls may have gone missing too. Can you offer me anything?" Zeek pleaded.

"Don't know nothing about anything and neither does anyone else here. Right?" Ray said giving a menacing look to the others in the group around him. Daryl knew they guy was lying, but he had to trust Zeek at this moment or things could go bad in a quick minute.

"Ray…" Zeek said one more time.

"Thanks for stopping by Zeek, if I hear anything I will let you know. Now I think it is best you be leaving." Ray warned.

"We've got some supplies you might be interested in." Daryl offered up, once again drawing an angry look from Zeek.

"Don't need 'em, got plenty." Ray responded. "Now go, we have a counsel meeting I need to attend too." The man said shutting Daryl and Zeek down before either could respond again.

Daryl stormed out of the house with Zeek following. Zeek was angry too, but knew he was dealing with a volatile situation and he didn't want it to go completely off the rails.

When they got in Zeek's truck Daryl let out a stream of obscenities that almost made Zeek laugh "The God Damn Mother Fuckers know where those guys are. Now they are going to tip them off and we are going to be fucking fucked. The son of a bitches are gonna go after us doubly hard now. Shit Shit Shit." Daryl screamed in his tirade.

"Calm the fuck down Daryl. I didn't expect we would get anything out of them to begin with, but at least we know they are somehow involved." Zeek told him.

As they were heading back towards the camp Daryl was brooding and staring out the window. They were about five miles from the camp when Daryl spotted something. "Pull over." He shouted.

Daryl got out of the truck and Zeek followed. Daryl had spotted the dead body of a girl no more than fourteen lying in a ditch, discarded as if she were trash, a bullet hole between her eyes.

"I bet you anything this is the girl Benny heard while he was being held. Do you have a sheet or blanket in the truck?" Daryl asked.

Zeek nodded and quickly returned with an old bed sheet. Daryl carefully wrapped the dead girl up and told Zeek to go back to the village.

"I don't think that is a good idea." Zeek said.

"Just do as I say Zeek, I want to make a point." Daryl said.

Zeek turned the truck around and drove back to the village, slightly annoyed at Daryl's stubbornness. When they were in the middle of the small town, Daryl laid on the horn of the truck, attracting various villagers out of their homes.

Daryl then got out of the truck and pulled the body out of the bed where it was lying. "If y'all want to turn a blind eye to what is going on, then that is on you, but this…" He said. He then placed the body down in the middle of the street "This is beyond any cold blooded thing I could imagine. Take a good look at her, she is just a child, and her blood is on YOUR hands if you don't say anything." Daryl then let out a frustrated grunt as he got back into the truck.

"OK, you can leave now." Daryl said angrily.

Zeek shook his head and was heading down the road when an older model truck approached them from behind, flashing the lights to get their attention. Zeek pulled over.

Surprisingly, it was Adelaide that had flagged them down. "Mr. Zeek, I am truly sorry about your daughter. You know the situation here, and you know I couldn't say anything in front of Ray. Even though he is my boy, he is still a threat to all of us. That body you brought back was a twelve year old orphan girl named Mikayla, she was traded out a week or so ago to a group of men who are providing Ray with liquor, drugs, food, and other items. Please don't let them know I told you. Mikayla's little brother Scottie is missing too, he's about seven. Those men come around about once a month, so they will most likely be back within a few weeks. I have no way to let you know when they are coming, but if you keep an eye on the village, they normally come around midnight. I have to go." She said as she ran to her truck and left.

"They've got another kid with them…if he is even still alive." Daryl said, letting out a breath. Children had a soft spot in Daryl's heart and the thoughts of yet another one being used and beaten like Mikayla, and even Benny sickened him. "Let's head back to camp, but maybe we can go back another way and check out some of those cut-overs." Daryl suggested.

"We can do that. I'm sorry you have to see this side of Alaskan life." Zeek said in a sorrowful manner.

"It ain't only Alaska Zeek, I grew up in this shit." Daryl offered up.

…

Andrea had offered to take up watch, and Rick had reluctantly agreed to let her start off on the back wall. She wasn't thrilled, since it certainly wouldn't offer up much excitement, but she wanted to make her point that she was more than capable of contributing to the group. Milton wasn't happy to have her in a position of defense, but he knew arguing with the headstrong woman was pointless.

To everyone in the group, Milton and Andrea had a strange relationship. That however was far from the truth. Yes, Milton was eccentric and a little aloof, but Andrea understood him. She helped him with his social skills, and in turn, he challenged her mind. He was a shy and caring man, but he had desires just as all men did, and had proven to Andrea to be a tender and satisfying lover. When Andrea lost Amy, it was Milton who gave her the will to live.

Dale had also become a big part of her life. He would often eat dinner with the couple, though Andrea admittedly was a horrible cook, but that actually worked in Dale's favor, as he was a good cook and had taken to showing Andrea the ropes. Milton and Dale would often engage in very deep conversations when Milton wasn't busy to tending to the sick and injured in the group. When Milton discovered that Vienna had turned without being bitten, he had divulged that information to Dale. Dale advised Milton to keep the info to himself, even though he knew Daryl and Zeek both suspected the girl hadn't received a bite from a Walker. Dale's thoughts were that the last thing they wanted to do was cause a panic in the group, but Milton knew the information needed to be relayed sooner than later. It could be dangerous if people weren't aware of the consequences of not destroying the brain.

The virus was both a terrifying, yet intriguing thing to both Milton and Eugene. The men would spend their spare time researching what they could about what caused the virus, and most importantly, what could cure the virus. There was nothing Milton wanted more than to find a cure and return to Georgia, and possibly even start a family with Andrea.

Andrea climbed up to her perch and for the first hour nothing worth mentioning occurred. Then she heard it…a child crying for help. She wasn't sure if one of the children from the camp had some how managed to escape the confines of the wall and gotten into trouble, but she knew the sound of fear in a child's voice. Without thinking she climbed over the wall and left the safety of the camp in search of the voice.

She was about thirty feet away from the camp when she spotted a small dark haired child leaning up against a tree. His face was battered and his clothes were filthy. She approached the little boy "Hey there sweetie, don't be afraid."

"His eyes made contact with hers, and she suddenly felt that something wasn't right." She turned around just in time to see two men come out of the bushes.

"Well, Well, Well…look what we have here. Look's like our bait worked." Andrea didn't have time to respond before the men were quickly on her…her world went black.

…

Davia had been working hard on the greenhouse with the assistance of Beth, Jacqui, Will, and Hershel. Ingrid had stopped by to bring the group lunch and Davia took the opportunity to ask if Zeek had any material around that he could donate.

"We could go and check. I also wanted to get you to go through some of the baby items that I have saved over the years. That little one will be here before you know it and you are going to need things for her. Did you bring anything with you from Georgia?" Ingrid asked.

"We brought formula, and diapers. I have both cloth and disposable, but Lori and April are due around the same time. Daryl said he could make a crib out of some spare wood, and of course we have a few clothing items and baby blankets." Davia told her.

"Oh, that won't do. I have a basement full of things you could use." Ingrid told her.

"Am I hearing talk about baby items?" Beth interrupted.

"Yep, Ingrid says she has some at the house. I would love to go through them." Davia said.

"Oh, me too." Beth squealed "And I know Maggie would too. Maybe seeing the baby things will convince her and Glenn to start a family of their own."

"Beth, what about you and Brad…could you see yourself with kids?" Davia asked.

"Not any time soon. He has to sleep with me first." Beth said.

"You mean you two haven't yet?" Davia asked in disbelief.

Beth blushed after realizing she had divulged entirely too much information. "We've come close, but he is still taking things way too slow. It's about to kill me." She whispered, causing Davia and Ingrid to laugh hysterically.

"Well let's go get Maggie and head over." Ingrid said.

"Should we tell Rick?" Davia asked.

"No, he's been busy with Abraham, and we won't be gone long enough to bother him. We can just cut through the woods and carry a few boxes back for now." Beth said.

Davia was hesitant to leave without saying anything, but the last thing she wanted to do was bother Rick. The man was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and she didn't want to cause him any undue stress.

The rounded up Maggie and all headed over to the Lindstrom's home. The ladies were in the basement adoring all of the little girl baby clothes that Ingrid had saved over the years. She was telling stories about the trials and tribulations of raising seven daughters and Davia could tell that this was a type of therapy for Ingrid in dealing with Vienna's death. Each of them picked up a box and began to head up stairs when they heard footsteps coming from floor above them.

"Shhh." Davia said.

"Do you think its Zeek and Daryl?" Beth asked.

"No, they haven't been gone long enough. It could be those men that killed Vienna." Davia whispered.

The ladies all held their breath and waited quietly. They heard voices, and then they heard soft female sobs.

"Would you look at this fucking mansion Len?" they heard a man say.

"Claimed." The man Len replied.

"Please, you have to let me go, we can work this out." They heard the female plead, followed by the sound of fists hitting flesh.

"Shut the fuck up bitch. This ain't gonna be your problem soon anyway.

Maggie then whispered "That sounds like Andrea…do you think they got her?"

Panic overtook the group of women "They must have, she had wall duty this afternoon, they must have gotten to her somehow." Beth said.

"You girls wait here and let me handle this." Ingrid said.

"No, that isn't going to happen." Davia said. "What do we have for weapons?"

"I've got a knife and a Glock." Maggie told them.

"I only have a knife…I left my gun at the cabin." Beth said, now realizing how stupid she was for doing such.

"There's a shotgun down here in the basement, but it only has one shot." Ingrid told them.

"Get it." Davia told her. "I have a pistol and a knife. I'm not that good of a shot, but Daryl has been showing me how to use it in our spare time." She told them. Ingrid made her way to the shotgun, but with the low light in the basement, she accidentally knocked over some boxes. The sound was deafening and the women knew it was just a matter of seconds before the men upstairs would be down there.

The door to the basement flew open and a greasy looking man smiled insanely at the women "Well look what we have here Billy…a fucking buffet of cunts." He said.

"No…" They heard Andrea scream. "I told you to shut up bitch." Billy shouted.

"Kill her, we don't need her anymore, we got plenty down here." He said. Andrea began to wail as the man came at her and the sounds of her screaming were suddenly silenced. Davia's eyes filled with tears as she suspected that they had just murdered Andrea.

"That's one bitch that won't scream anymore. I hate screamers." Len joked.

"Come on up ladies, and move nice and slow. I wanna check out your moves." Len instructed them. Beth was terrified and her legs were wobbling, so Davia helped her up the stairs. Maggie held her head high, and Ingrid showed absolutely no fear.

When they were all assembled in the foyer of the house Len instructed them to all stand against the wall. Len and Billy began to fondle each of the women, which sickened Davia. Beth began to cry uncontrollably and Billy told her to shut up or she would join Andrea on the floor. Davia noticed that Billy had slit Andrea's throat and a pool of blood had formed around her head and neck. It was almost too much to bear. Andrea didn't deserve this, and now she feared that they all were going to meet the same fate. No, she wouldn't let that happen. Daryl needed her, and she wasn't going to leave him. She needed a plan, but right now, she couldn't come up with anything.

"Listen boys, let the young ones go and you can have me. I know how to please a man and I will do anything you want me too." Ingrid offered.

"That's very noble of ya lady, but these three beauties are way too good to waste. If you do as you say, I might let you live, but this is a package deal." Len taunted.

They needed a distraction. Right now the men were solely focused on them and they had no way to communicate with each other. They still had their weapons, as the men didn't think to check the ladies boots. Davia scanned the foyer and saw a decorative sword on the wall, if they could somehow get the men focused on something else, then maybe Maggie could fire off a shot and Davia would be able to get to her gun as well.

As if the good Lord above heard her thoughts, Andrea's corpse began to move. Very carefully, Davia pinched Maggie and got her to notice what was going on. Len and Billy were too focused on deciding which woman they were going to take first to notice. Maggie nodded and she subtly nudged Beth.

"I want the little blonde." Billy said.

"Nope, I want the blonde, you take curvy bitch. You always liked 'em with a little meat on their bones." Len said.

"The brunette looks like she has some fight in her, maybe we should wear her out first. The little blonde looks like she might break." And then both men fell into a fit of laughter. Davia was furious at how the men were so casually talking about raping them. They were monsters.

"We'll finish up with the older one, she will be like a fine wine after dinner…" Andrea's corpse began to rise and both men turned to see what was going on. "I thought you killed the bitch…," Len shouted.

The distraction was just what they needed, as Billy and Len were now in a position where they needed to protect themselves from the snarling walker, it allowed Davia to get to the door and open it. "Run!" She shouted at the other three women. Beth and Maggie dragged Ingrid out the door while Davia took a shot, hitting Len in the shoulder.

"The fucking cunt shot me." He screamed as he made his way towards her. Billy got distracted to the point that he didn't notice Andrea as she began to attack him. Her teeth clamped down on the man and she began to rip him to shreds. Len was too angry to notice, and he now had Davia pushed up against the wall. Memories of Ed choking her flooded her mind and she reached behind her and grabbed the sword off the wall. She swung it, clipping Len in the arm, which caused him to release her. She quickly ran for the door and headed down the steps.

Davia saw Maggie, Beth, and Ingrid running towards the woods, but they were suddenly stopped in their tracks as Len began to fire on them. She saw Beth drop, and Ingrid and Maggie quickly stopped, picked up the girl and kept running. Davia now needed to take cover as Len was spraying a cover of bullets down all around everywhere Davia was running.

Davia ran to the back of the house, and saw her escape. There were some trees she could run behind that would provide her enough cover to make it to the tree line and then to the woods that would get her back to camp. She bolted quickly, but suddenly felt a searing pain in her hip. She knew she had just been shot, but she couldn't stop. Len fired again, and this time one of the bullets hit the propane tank, sending up an explosion that sent Davia to the ground. She was dazed and her ears were ringing, but the shots had stopped.

The next thing she knew Maggie, and Ingrid were dragging her up and into the woods, where Beth was laying against a tree, a bullet lodged in her shoulder.

"You're wounded." Maggie said.

"It's just a scratch." Davia said. "Where did the guy go?"

"He ran off after the explosion. Oh Ingrid…your house…" Maggie said, pointing out that the entire house was now engulfed in flames.

"It's just a building…we need to get Beth and Davia to the doc." Ingrid said.

"Oh God, Andrea, how do we tell Milton?" Davia said, still not feeling the pain in her hip. Her adrenaline was still pumping, but she knew she was going to be hurting soon enough.

"I will tell him." Ingrid said.

The four women didn't make it even half way to the camp before they were met in the woods by Rick, Sasha, and Michonne. They had heard the gunfire and the explosion and noticed the women missing. The other's quickly helped Davia and the other girls' back to the camp. Immediately Davia and Beth were rushed to the clinic.

Maggie explained to Rick about Andrea, and Rick went to retrieve Bob. Next to Milton, Bob was their second choice in a medical person. Not being sure of how Milton would take the news, Rick wanted Bob as a back up.

"Daryl's gonna fucking kill me." Rick said.

"No he isn't Rick, he's going to kill me." Davia replied. She was beginning to feel the burning pain in her hip and it was radiating down her leg.

Davia and Beth were lying on gurneys side by side. Beth was sniffling, and Brad had come rushing to her aid. "Bethy Please don't cry. You are gonna be fine." He told her.

"I froze Brad, I fucking froze. I couldn't do anything. I'm weak." She cried.

Davia answered, "No you're not Beth. We all react in different ways, and if it happens again I know you will be prepared. We were all caught off guard." Right now she was wishing more than anything that Daryl was here with her.

…

Zeek and Daryl were just about back at the camp when they saw the orange glow in the sky.

"What the fuck?" Daryl said.

"That's my house." Zeek said, whipping the vehicle in the direction of his home. It was dark, but the glow of the fire lit the area up like daylight.

"Something bad has happened. Get to the camp now." Daryl commanded. Zeek backed out of his driveway, knowing the house was a loss and there wasn't anything more he could do about it.

When they pulled up to the front gate, Rick met them.

"Daryl, there has been an incident. Don't panic, Davia is going to be OK." Rick said, but all Daryl had to hear was Davia's name and he was running as fast as he could to the clinic. He burst through the doors calling out her name.

"Davia, Davia honey…I'm here." He yelled.

Bob met him in the lobby of the clinic "Follow me, she's been asking for you."

Daryl rushed into the room where Davia was convalescing. Davia was hooked up to an IV and had been given a strong dose of pain medication. "Baby what happened?" He asked.

"I'm so sorry Daryl, we went over to get some baby things and we didn't say anything to anyone. They killed Andrea, and they took us by surprise, but we made it out…Beth, she took a bullet in the shoulder, and I took a hit in the hip, but I'm going to be fine. I'm so sorry…it was stupid." She told him.

"Don't apologize Davia, you did good. How are you feeling?" He asked her.

"Better now that you are here. Milton said he wanted to talk to both of us when you got back. I'm probably going to be laid up for a few days." She told him.

"I don't care if it is a few months. I promise I will take care of you Davia. Don't you EVER worry about that. I love you so much baby." He said, fighting back tears that were threatening to fall. When Rick met them at the gate, Daryl feared the worse. Fortunately, he still had his Davia.

Milton came into the room, void of any emotion and addressed Daryl.

"I had to operate on her hip to remove bullet fragments. She has a few lacerations and bruises, but I handled those as well. I think she might have a cracked rib from the impact of the explosion, but she should make a full recovery. As a precaution I x-rayed her hip and pelvic area and I noticed an anomaly." He told them.

"A what?" Daryl asked.

"Davia is pregnant. Just a few weeks, but she is most definitely with child. Congratulations Daryl, you are going to be a father." Milton said, and the just like that he left the room.

**...And...? To be honest I wasn't thrilled with the flow of this chapter. I still hope you enjoy and Please Please Please Please Please leave me a review...It will be much appreciated.**

**Thanks**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	38. Chapter 38

Daryl and Davia sat there dumbfounded at the news Milton had just delivered.

"But how…we've been so careful." Davia said, still trying to come to grips with the fact that she was expecting a baby.

"The kitchen table Davia, we got carried away." Daryl said.

Oh God, he was right. Since there had been a limited supply of birth control pills, Davia and Daryl had switched to using condoms for protection, and they had been religious about making sure that they used one every time they made love, except for the kitchen event. Davia smacked her head.

"What are we going to do Daryl? April is due in a few months, and then I will have this baby just a couple months later. I am already freaking out about caring for one child, and now we have a second one coming. What am I going to do…Oh God…" She said.

Daryl noticed that Davia was panicking and he grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. "You ain't in this alone Davia, you've got me and I will help out any way I can. We will get through this." He reassured her. Honestly, Daryl was freaking out a bit too, but he needed to keep his shit together for Davia's sake.

"I need to talk to Ingrid." Davia said.

"Later, right now you need to rest. I almost lost you today Davia and if that had happened…I don't even want to think about it." Daryl said.

"I wasn't going to let you lose me Daryl. I fought hard to keep everyone safe so we could all return to the people we love, and there was no way I was going to let them take me from you." She told him.

"You do know this means you won't be doing any patrols now. I can't risk having you out there in your condition and I don't want you to argue about it." He said.

"I understand Daryl, but just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I can't still help out around here. I agree, no patrols, but I can still work in the camp and make sure we get this greenhouse up and running. At least until the babies come. Having one child is going to be difficult…but two? I am trying hard not to get overwhelmed." She admitted.

"We will do it together baby girl. You and me can do this, but I ain't gonna lie, I'm scared as shit about this too. This makes catching these son of a bitches that did this to you and killed Andrea just that much more important. I gotta find 'em or we will never have peace." Daryl told her in an adamant voice.

Daryl noticed Davia's eyes were starting to droop, between the medications and her ordeal she had to be exhausted. "Your mom and dad will probably be thrilled about this." She said sleepily.

"Yeah, they will. Davia, I am going to do everything I can to make this easy for you. You ain't in it alone, we're a team and I am gonna protect ya, and there are others here that will help too, like my parents, and Beth. You know, it takes a village and all that shit." Daryl said trying to alleviate her fears.

"I'm thankful we have Milton. If we didn't I would be terrified, but I feel so bad for him because he just lost Andrea, and I know he needs time to mourn her. I wish there was something I could do." Davia said, thinking about the poor man.

"I'll see if I can get my old man to talk to him, he seems to be good at getting through to people. I'd do it, but you know how good I am at that touchy-feely crap." Daryl said, chuckling slightly.

"Um, yeah, your Dad would be a better choice. No offense. You are good with me though Daryl and that is exactly what I need. I don't know what I would do without you." She said to him.

"You wouldn't be pregnant right now, and we wouldn't be panicking." Daryl said.

"Hey, we managed this one together, and as scared as I am, I'm glad I'm carrying your baby. Now if we could skip the whole labor and delivery thing I'd be great." She said sleepily.

"Get some sleep darling." He told her.

"Don't leave me Daryl, do you mind staying?" She asked.

"Ain't got a choice, I ain't gonna leave your side unless I absolutely have too." He told her.

As Davia began to drift into sleep she said one more thing "Can we tell your family together? I wanna see their reaction when we deliver the news."

"Anything you want darling, but be prepared for all the fussing over ya they are gonna do. Never thought Dixon's could be all sappy like that, but I guess nothing in this world is the same anymore." He mused.

…

"_Baby brother…looks like one of your swimmers hit the mark." Merle commented._

"_Merle, what the fuck are you doing here?" Daryl asked._

"_Checking on ya, and bitching at ya for the mess you just made. Two babies, great planning there Darylina." Merle chastised._

"_Shut the fuck up…look at what a mess you made asshole. You knocked up April, a fucking psychopath, and then went and cut off your fucking hand... You ain't go not right to judge me." Daryl yelled back._

"_Ouch…fighting dirty ain't ya?" Merle said._

"_Don't need your shit now Merle. This is gonna be a lot on Davia to deal with and there ain't no going back. Just because you fucked up your life doesn't mean I'm gonna do the same thing." Daryl bit back._

"_Fine, just checking to see if you were gonna be able to handle all of this. You know me, I ain't gonna let anything be easy for ya. Look, I'm here for a reason…this Alaskan thing ain't gonna last forever, and you gotta have a plan." Merle said._

"_What are you talking about? This will work…that's why we came. Ain't nothing left anywhere else." Daryl reminded his brother._

"_Just listen, there's a military base in Anchorage…and when the time comes, and you will know when that is, you gotta make it there. That is going to be your best solution." Merle said emphatically._

"_But Merle, there ain't anywhere to go. I don't think the military bases made it either." Daryl said._

"_Just do as I say baby brother. I gotta check out for a while…You make it to the base, and then you will make it to the place that you can survive…Home." Merle said._

"_Merle, what is going to happen?" Daryl asked desperately, but Merle was gone._

…

Daryl woke with a start. As crazy as it seemed, Merles "visitations" usually meant something was up. But if they had to leave Alaska, where would they go? Home? That was a ridiculous idea, wasn't it? Getting here was a harrowing experience, and now things were even worse. The last broadcasts they received had let them know that not only had the virus spread like wildfire throughout the US, but the political environment was a mess as well. Philip Blake had done a good job of causing a political division between the survivors and if the reports were true, he had pretty much set up a violent dictatorship. If Alaska didn't work out…they were pretty much screwed, so that meant Daryl needed to make sure that this new life would work out, and that they were safe.

In order for them to be safe, they had to take care of the problem with the marauders, and that meant they would need a plan. The villagers weren't willing to help, but Adelaide had given Zeek and Daryl some idea when the violent men would interact with Ray. That meant they were going to need to keep a watch on the village. Daryl didn't want to go to war with the villagers, but they had made their allegiance known, and it wasn't to help the camp.

Davia was still sleeping and Daryl took the time to go find Milton. Right now they needed Milton more than anything. With three women now expecting children, and with the dangers that loomed outside the wall, Milton was invaluable to the group. However, with what happened with Andrea, Daryl wasn't sure what Milton's mental state would be. Though the man was strange, he was brilliant, and Daryl knew how much he loved Andrea. Milton had been hesitant to allow Andrea to help out with defending the camp, and now it looked like he had been correct in his hesitation.

Daryl found Milton in the small lab, but Milton wasn't working. Instead he had a bottle of Crown Royal open and was sipping it out of a high ball glass.

"It's a bit early in the morning for a drink ain't it doc?" Daryl asked.

"Does it really even matter anymore? Are you here checking on me because you think I won't take good care of your wife?" Milton snapped back. Apparently Milton wasn't a happy drunk.

"I would think that drinking at six in the morning ain't normal protocol for a doctor. I don't want you treating Davia if you ain't straight." Daryl said.

"You know I have never been a social man. I spent my entire life engulfed in science and education, then medical school, and then my residency. I was fine being alone…until I met Andrea. I met her for the first time at the hospital Café and she actually made an effort to speak to me. No one had really done that before and I was suspicious of her intent at first." Milton said.

"She was a looker, and seemed to have a good head on her shoulders." Daryl said as he listened to Milton talk. Daryl could relate to how it felt to be socially awkward.

"Since she worked with adoptions, she was at the hospital quite a bit, and we began meeting at the café on a regular basis. The friendship was nice and before I knew it, I had mustered up enough courage to ask her out. I was shocked when she agreed. From there, our relationship grew. I fell in love with her, and I believe the feelings were mutual. I hadn't had any experience with women, but she was patient and kind, and I learned how to share my life with another person. I was completely in love with her, and now…" Milton said sadly.

"Look Doc, I get it. If anything were to happen to Davia I don't think I could make it another day, but I know I would have to because that is what Davia would want. You can't give up on life, we need you and Andrea would want you to carry on with your work. We'll give her a real nice service today, because even in death she still managed to help save the girls." Daryl said, trying to encourage the lost man as best he could.

"Daryl, can we retrieve the body from the house?" Milton asked.

"I don't know what would be left of it after the fire, but we can check." Daryl said, not wanting to think about Andrea's remains still in the rubble of the house.

"Thank you. I will take a shower and drink a good strong cup of coffee and then we can go." Milton said.

"Before you do all that, can we talk about Davia?" Daryl asked.

"Of course. She should be able to go back to your cabin today. I want her to take it easy for a week, and I will stop by and check on her each day. The same is for Beth as well. Both girls are lucky that the wounds weren't any worse. Davia is lucky that the explosion didn't injure her, with the exception of the few bruises and contusions she received. She might have some ringing in her ears for a few days, but that is normal. I will also send her home with antibiotics and pre-natal vitamins, but I would like to refrain from giving her any pain medication unless she really needs it. I have some Tylenol that can help with the soreness, which she will have for a couple of days." Milton said.

"And what about the baby? In case you didn't pick up on it, it wasn't planned." Daryl said.

"She's very early in her pregnancy and a lot of changes will happen. Have you ever had to deal with a pregnancy in your past?" Milton asked.

Daryl laughed "No, can't say I ever saw myself as a family man."

"That makes two of us, though Andrea and I were discussing the possibilities of starting a family. Anyhow, I will give you a book to borrow so you can read about all the changes Davia's body will go through. I am not sure if you have noticed Daryl, but she has lost a considerable amount of weight since we left Blue Ridge. She is going to need to focus on eating healthy so that she can sustain this pregnancy. Right now our supplies are plentiful, but it's important that all three women that are expecting continue to get proper nutrition. I do have some concerns about April that I wanted to discuss with you and Davia, but maybe I should just share them with you right now." Milton said.

Daryl's stomach dropped at the tone Milton took when he mentioned April. "What's going on with her?"

"Mentally, she is doing better than I expected. She seems to have accepted that this is her life, and she needs others to survive. She has mellowed out quite a bit, but she is riddled with guilt and regret. She has expressed on more than one occasion to me and to Father Gabriel that she wants to mend things with you and Davia."

"I don't see a problem with that, but why is that a concern?" Daryl asked.

"Normally, there is a doctor/patient confidentiality agreement, but since her child is going to be raised by you and Davia, I am going to break that rule. April is sick…terminal to be honest. I believe she has an autoimmune disease that is taking a toll on her. I don't think she is going to be able to go full term with this pregnancy. She is around thirty weeks, further along that I thought. I don't want to do this, but I believe we should take the baby at thirty-four weeks. Ingrid has a lot of experience with childbirth and she has agreed to help me deliver the child. She will be pre-mature, but if we allow April to continue with the pregnancy I don't know if either will survive. Unfortunately, I don't think we have many options." Milton said.

Daryl felt like he had just been slugged in the stomach. "What are the chances of survival for the baby?"

"Seventy percent, but being prepared will help. I have an incubator we can use, but we are going to need some additional supplies I don't have. That means someone will need to risk a trip into Homer to try to locate some items from the hospital there. Bob has agreed to go along, as he is knowledgeable with medication and medical supplies, but I was hoping you and a few others could go with him. There is a special formula that will be needed that for the child to get the proper nutrition. April will not be able to nurse the child. To be honest, I don't know how much longer April has." Milton said candidly.

Daryl sat down in a chair and placed his face in his hands, trying to process everything that Milton had just told him. "Does April know?"

"She does, and she has been incredibly accepting. That is good for both her and the baby, but I think it would go a long way if you and Davia can forgive her." Milton said.

"We will make sure April has a sense of peace. Thanks for letting me know, Doc. I will tell Davia myself because she needs to know. Davia is a lot stronger than I gave her credit, and she will get through this just fine because she has me there for her as well. Also, I will head up the run. Get together a list of things we will need, and we will bring them all back. Thanks for getting Bob on board, because I am clueless when it comes to medical shit." Daryl confessed.

"OK, just give me a few minutes to pull myself together. I wanna thank you for listening to me Daryl. You helped me realize a few things, the most important being that I can't give up because of losing Andrea. She would want me to continue my work, and I will in her honor." Milton said.

"Good to hear. While you are getting ready I'm gonna go check on my wife. If she is awake I'm gonna take her home and you can meet me at my cabin when you are ready. Make sure you are armed, just in case someone tries to catch us off guard." Daryl told Milton.

…

Daryl returned to Davia's room to find Nora, Will, and Jacqui all visiting her.

"Son, how are you doing?" Will asked.

"I'm fine, it's Davia you should ask. How are you feeling baby?" Daryl asked his wife, who looked exhausted.

"I feel fortunate to be alive and surrounded by family." She said smiling at her in-laws.

Daryl looked at Davia, and she nodded. "We have an announcement to make. It appears that there is a second grandchild on the way. Looks like it's gonna be Irish Twins for the Dixon clan." Daryl said.

"What, you are having a baby?" Nora asked in disbelief.

"Yes ma'am, it wasn't planned, but sometimes things have a way of happening." Davia said smiling proudly.

"Well I swear you are absolutely glowing." Will said as he made his way over to Davia and gave her a kiss.

"Thanks, but I think I must actually look a mess." She replied.

"No baby, you look beautiful." Daryl said…he wondered if Davia would ever accept how beautiful she was.

"Thank you." She said as she reached her hand out to him.

"Doc says I can take you home, but you have to take it easy." Daryl told her.

Nora then spoke "Davia, I stopped by your cabin and gathered up some clean clothes for you. I found some things that would be easy for you to slip on and off while you are healing up."

"Oh thanks so much Nora, that's going to make getting dressed much easier." Davia replied.

Jacqui then spoke "We'll get out of here so you can get dressed. Don't you worry about anything for a while Davia, we'll all be pitching in to help you out until you are back on your feet. I've already got dinner cooking for you both and I will bring it over this afternoon."

"And I will stop by at lunch time to bring you something to eat as well Davia." Nora said.

"Please, you don't have to fuss over me like this, I will be fine." Davia insisted.

"Nah, let them help Davia. You need to save your strength. Doc said you need to eat better too, He says you have lost too much weight since we left Blue Ridge." Daryl said.

"That's hysterical. I've never been told I've lost too much weight." Davia said.

"Honey, we can all see you melting away. You do need to eat more and take better care of yourself young lady." Jacqui added.

"OK, OK…you guys win. Y'all know how I hate to burden anyone." Davia said.

"It isn't a burden, it's what family does." Will said, giving Daryl a nod.

…

Zeek and Ingrid had spent the night at the main lodge with their daughters, who were all distraught at losing their home and belongings. Daryl took Davia back to the cabin knowing it was empty and she insisted on walking, even though Daryl knew she was hurting and said he could get the truck and drive her the short distance. But Davia refused and Daryl had learned that Davia had a stubborn streak in her that he wasn't happy about. She had the best intentions at all times, but right now she needed to let others do for her.

When they arrived at the cabin Daryl quickly got Davia settled in, but not before she insisted on a bath and washing her hair. Daryl helped her clean up and wash her hair, which she promptly braided as soon as she toweled off after getting out of the tub. Daryl then did something he had never done with her before; he lifted her up bridal style and carried her to their room. He realized what everyone had been saying about how much weight she had lost and he chastised himself for not noticing. He made a note to pay better attention to Davia's eating habits. She was doing a great job of keeping him and everyone else fed, but it would appear she was neglecting her own eating habits.

"You are light as a feather Davia, you gotta eat more before you lose all your curves." He told her.

"Trust me, I'm never gonna lose those." She said.

"Davia, you probably have lost at least forty pounds since we have been here. Your clothes are falling off of you. I'm gonna need to get you some more things to wear. You keep this up you and Beth are gonna be sharing outfits." Daryl said.

"I wish." Davia mumbled.

Once Daryl was sure that Davia was situated in their bed he administered her some Tylenol and told her she was not to leave the bed unless it was for a bathroom break. He informed her he would be going with Milton over to try to retrieve Andrea's remains and that there would be a memorial service for her later in the day.

"Daryl, I want to attend. She saved our lives, even in death. You should have heard what they did to her, it was bone chilling to hear, and she didn't deserve to die like that. I just can't imagine why she would have gone over the wall." Davia said as she explained the rest of everything that happened to them, including Ingrid offering herself in exchange for their freedom. Daryl couldn't get over the strength that the Lindstrom's had as a family. He thought at first it was just Zeek, but Ingrid and the daughters had all proven themselves to be courageous and noble people. Daryl was sure he wanted to instill the same values in his children as well.

Davia was drifting off to sleep when there was a knock at the door. Daryl assumed it was Milton, but was surprised to see Rick.

"How's Davia?" Rick asked.

"Resting, but she seems to be in good spirits. I've got something to tell ya, she's pregnant." Daryl told his surrogate brother.

"Holy Shit Daryl, when did you find out and how far along is she?" Rick asked, shocked at what Daryl had just told him.

"Found out last night, she's just a few weeks. It's not ideal, but I guess that doesn't matter. We had one slip up and now we have a child on the way. Milton also said April isn't doing to good. He's planning on taking the baby in four weeks, but I haven't told Davia yet. I'll tell her tonight once everything is settled. What brings you by?" Daryl asked.

"We need to have a group meeting, but I wanted to discuss what happened with Andrea with you. I think I know what sent her over the wall. I found a child's footprint just a few feet from where she was keeping watch. You had mentioned that the lady in the Village said that two children were taken, and I wonder if these men are using the child as bait?" Rick said.

"Shit, I didn't think about that. But knowing Andrea, if she saw a child in need she wouldn't think twice about heading over the wall. We need to warn everyone. One thing that is bothering me is how close to the camp these assholes seem to be able to get. It's like they are playing a serious game of cat and mouse." Daryl said.

"They want to pick us off one by one…waiting on us to make mistakes. They can't take us as a whole, but if they can manage to pick us off one by one, then they can take this place, and I think that is what they want to do." Rick said.

"You gonna tell the group this?" Daryl asked.

"I think it is best. There's something else, Milton and Eugene are pretty sure that we all carry this virus that causes the turn. Somehow, after death something in the brain starts back up. It's the only explanation for Vienna and Andrea turning without being bitten. Maggie was emphatic that Andrea had no bites anywhere on her body. That means that if anyone is to pass, then there needs to be a knife or shot to the brain to keep the brain from firing back up." Rick told Daryl, his tone very serious.

"Fuck me. Do they know how it's spread? Obviously a bite will kill ya, but if we all have it, then why aren't we sick?" Daryl asked.

"I can't answer that, it's what Eugene and Milton have been trying hard to figure out. Apparently a bite makes you sick and leads to death, but once you are dead if your brain is left in tact, then you re-animate. Daryl, I really need your support in this meeting today because I'm going to lay down the law. It's the only way we are going to survive." Rick said.

"You got it, you've done right by me and my family. Milton is pretty sure that April's dying. That means that if what you just said is true, after she passes someone is going to have to…" Daryl couldn't finish the sentence. April was a pain in the ass, but she had been coming around lately, and she was doing everything she could to try to deliver Merle's daughter as safely as possible. This also meant that both children would be born with the virus, same as Lori's child. However, if it didn't effect you while you were living, then did it really matter? A knife through the brain after you died didn't really seem to be that big of deal. Hell, Daryl would welcome it.

…

Everyone gathered around in the main lodge and Rick stood up to address everyone. He had already briefed Daryl, Morgan, Zeek, and Abe about what he wanted to discuss just to make sure they were all in agreement with the decisions that He had made.

"As y'all know, we lost Andrea yesterday and we almost lost Maggie, Beth, Davia, and Ingrid as well. They were able to escape this group that is taunting us, but it was a close call. Beth and Davia both took a bullet, and we were lucky it wasn't worse. Effective immediately, no one goes beyond the wall without notifying me, and I will assemble a group together to make sure adequate protection is provided." Rick said.

Michonne then spoke "Rick you can't be serious, shouldn't we vote on this?"

"Michonne, with all due respect, this isn't a democracy anymore. You all saw fit to put me in charge, and I'm making the call. I didn't want Andrea up on the wall, but she insisted and I gave in…so her death, it's on me. These men are doing their best to pick us off one by one…and they are patient. They wait for us to make mistakes, and then they take advantage of it. Michonne, I don't doubt your skills, but even you are capable of making a mistake." Rick said.

Jacqui then spoke "Honey, I know you are strong, but please listen to what Rick is saying. He's just trying to protect you."

Michonne grumbled to herself, but she didn't say anymore on the subject.

"We also need to go on a supply run. The Lindstrom's have lost all of their belongings, and there are some medical needs in the group that we are not equipped to handle. This trip means going into Homer, and I'm not going to lie, it will be risky. So far I have Bob, Zeek, and Daryl ready to go, but I would like one more person." Rick said.

"I'm in." Michonne said.

"Baby girl…please reconsider," Jacqui said to her daughter.

"I'm fine momma, I gotta get out of here before I go crazy." She said truthfully.

Rick nodded. "Michonne, you got your wish. Y'all will leave in two days."

Jacqui looked frustrated, but didn't say anything. Will placed his hands on his wife's shoulder and whispered something in her ear that seemed to appease her apprehension. Daryl wondered if he ever comforted Nora in that manner.

"We've been lucky with the weather, other than the brief blizzard, the weather has been unusually warm. As long as the weather holds up I want to have four people on the wall at all times. Everyone will take four-hour shifts, and there will not be any exceptions except for Sophia, Duane, Davia, April, and Lori. Father Gabriel we will need your assistance as well. " Rick said. The preacher nodded in agreement.

Carol let out an audible reaction when Rick announced who wouldn't be required to take watch "Rick, I understand everyone else not taking watch, but why not Davia? Why does she have special privileges?"

Daryl hadn't wanted to tell everyone his and Davia's news just yet, but now it looked like he needed too. "Davia is expecting."

Carol just shook her head "Of course she is. You two couldn't even be bothered to use birth control? Instead you are burdening us all with another mouth to feed. How many more Dixon's can we expect? Hmmm? Nora…Will…would you like to add to your brood?"

"Carol that is uncalled for! We all know that sometimes things just happen, whether we plan them or not. It's not our place to judge anyone and we just need to be able to handle these unplanned situations. Daryl has gone above and beyond for this group, and Davia has worked her ass off as well, so from now on can you please keep your opinions about Daryl's family to yourself." Rick scolded.

"Rick, Carol is right though. This is going to be a burden on all of us." Lori added.

Maggie then stood up "Lori, can I ask what you add to this camp? Davia has been working hard to get a greenhouse started with Daddy, and Daryl is doing everything he can to find these men that killed Andrea, Vienna…and Shane. You don't lift a finger around here."

"Maggie, I can't because of my condition. Plus, I am a mother to my son and that takes a lot of my time." Lori said trying to defend herself.

"Mom, I can take care of myself…don't use me as an excuse." Carl jumped in.

"Carl, just let your mother answer for herself." Rick told his son. Even though Carl was right, Rick didn't want his son involved in the debate.

"Fine…if you want me to risk my pregnancy I will gladly help out around here." Lori said in a frustrated voice.

"Good girl. You can help me with preparing dinner tonight for the camp." The usually quiet Jenny said. Apparently she had lost her patience with Lori as well.

"What about April, why aren't you attacking her?" Lori asked.

"Because she is dying." Daryl said without thinking, silence filling the room. Everyone looked around and Gabriel and Milton nodded their heads in affirmation.

"But what about the baby?" Will asked, concerned for his grandchild.

Milton cleared his throat "Normally I don't like to discuss a patients medical history, but in this case I will make an exception. We are gonna take the baby at thirty-four weeks, which is in one month. It's one of the reasons we need these supplies from Homer."

"But she can't be thirty weeks along." Lori said.

"Based on the size and the development of the fetus, I believe she miscalculated her date of her last cycle. She admitted that she wasn't really sure because of her previous habits. Unfortunately, I don't think she or the baby will be able to survive much beyond that time. It's our only choice and Daryl has been made fully aware of the dangers." Milton replied.

Nora, Will, and Jacqui all had a look of concern on their face, but Daryl did his best at staying positive "We'll be sure to have the supplies that are needed, and that baby girl is gonna be just fine. She's a Dixon and that means she is a fighter."

Will then spoke "No truer words have ever been spoken Daryl."

"OK, if we can please get back to the agenda here." Rick said frustrated.

"So I have some jobs I would like to assign to everyone. Tyreese, Glenn, and Cesar I would like you three to be in charge of Security. That means I want you managing the watch schedule. Brad, You and T-dog are going to be in charge of maintaining the weapons. Tara and Liesel are going to assist. Nothing leaves our supply room without one of you four knowing about it." Rick told them.

"Carol, I want you back at the clinic along with Bob. Rosita, Abe informed me you were also a former medic, so I would like you to help out as well in the clinic." Rick said.

"That isn't a problem, anything I can do to help." Rosita said. Rick wished everyone had her positive attitude.

"Hershel, you are doing a great job with the livestock, and I am going to ask that you take the younger kids as well as Will under your wing. Beth and Davia will also fall under you as well." Rick directed.

"I know this is going to sound sexist, but I would like the rest of the women to help Jacqui with keeping up with an inventory of our rations as well as helping out with keeping up with laundry. With the weather here, it is critical that we keep our clothing clean and in good shape. It's not like we can head to the mall whenever we need a new jacket." Rick pointed out.

"Daryl and Zeek, I am putting you in charge of hunting and fishing and making sure we have adequate protein sources. Anyone you think can help out, please let me know." Rick said, both men nodded, knowing they were perfect for the job.

"That brings me to Sasha, Maggie, and Michonne. I want you all to work with Morgan and Abe to learn how to handle the Sniper rifles. We need to have three really good shots around here, and so far, all of you have the best aptitude. You three will be part of a group that does routine patrols. The others in this group will be Daryl Zeek Morgan, Abe, and myself. That means we will have two groups of four, one that will patrol once in the morning and one that will patrol once in the evening."

"Dale, I want you on communication at all times. I was thinking you could train Karen as well so that she could assist in monitoring any and all broadcasts. It is critical that we know what is going on in the world outside of us, and if there is any possibility of conditions improving, then we need to be aware and have a discussion. We also need to know if there are further threats. I know the broadcasts have been limited, but Dale's radio is the only lifeline we have to the outside world." Rick said.

"I will be glad to assist, and I am thrilled to teach Karen how to operate the radio. Anyone else who is interested I would be glad to show them as well." Dale said.

"Dale, I wouldn't mind learning either." Carol said.

"Certainly Carol, I would be glad to show you too." He said.

"That brings us to the last thing we need to discuss, and it's probably the most important. There is no easy way to say it, but Milton and Eugene believe that we are all infected with this virus that has over taken the country. Both Andrea and Vienna turned without being bitten, and in order to be sure, Milton has requested a blood sample from each of us." Rick said it quickly knowing it would take a moment for it to sink in.

The room exploded with various responses "How can it be?" "Are we all going to turn" "What about the children"…shock, fear, and even a few tears quickly enveloped the group.

Milton stood up and explained to the group his suspicions. The one good thing he reiterated with everyone was that as long as they weren't bit or didn't die, the virus remained dormant. That meant they would live a normal life until death, and when someone died, that meant that a quick shot to the brain would keep the person from reanimating. It wasn't an easy piece of news to deliver, but it seemed to appease everyone.

Finally, after an hour, Rick dismissed everyone and they began to assemble with their assigned groups.

"Well that went as well as could be expected." Rick told Daryl.

"Yeah, Just wish I knew why Carol hated me so much. I'm thinking about cornering her to find out what her problem is." Daryl told Rick.

"It's not worth the effort Daryl. She's losing her grasp on reality. I am hoping that by re-assigning her to the clinic and maybe her working with Dale, she might come back to us. She needs too for Sophia's sake."

"Hope your right." Was all Daryl could muster.

…

Daryl returned to the cabin to check on Davia. She was just waking up and He helped her get up so she could relieve herself. He then sat down and informed her about April's condition. Remarkably, Davia handled the information pretty well.

"The good news is that there will be seven months between the babies, and maybe I will have a routine established. We do need to make amends with April. I am a bit impressed that she is so adamant on wanting to bury the hatchet, and this time it isn't between my eyes." Davia said.

"There is something else I didn't mention though, and I don't want you to get upset." Daryl said.

"What is it? When you say don't get upset, I get upset." She told him.

"I'm going on a run to Homer day after next. We've got to get some supplies for our daughter so that we can be prepared for the premature birth. We also need to get some clothing articles for Zeek's brood as well. They lost everything. I'm going over to the house with them and Milton to see what we can salvage, but I am not holding out much hope. Milton wants to try to recover Andrea's remains. I don't think there will be much to find, but if it gives him peace of mind, then I'm all for it." Daryl told her.

"I wish I could find a legitimate reason to prevent you from going on the run, but I know that we need those supplies. Just promise me you will return safe and in one piece." She said.

"Always. I've got too much to live for and I ain't gonna let nothing happen to me." He told her.

"I trust you, but it doesn't mean I won't worry." She said.

"You've got to work on that baby girl. Worrying won't do the baby any good. I'm sure you and Hershel can find something to do that will keep you pre-occupied. Hopefully we won't be gone more than a day." Daryl assured her.

"Even that seems like too long. I reckon it is what it is." She said, letting out a sigh.

…

Daryl went with the Lindstrom's and Milton to the burned out home. Before anyone had a chance to start to go through the rubble, Ingrid led Milton to the area they had last seen Andrea. It took about forty-five minutes, but they were able to locate her remains. Daryl helped the Doctor gather what was left and wrap them up into a tarp. It wasn't an easy thing to do, but Daryl knew that if the shoe were on the other foot, he would want to do the same thing for Davia. At least it offered a sense of closure. After they had Andrea secured, Daryl took Milton back to camp so they could prepare for her burial, and then he returned to assist the Lindstrom's.

The house was a total loss, with the exception of the cellar. Somehow, it had survived. The good news was that it was where Ingrid had stored most of the family photos, as well as some food sources and baby supplies. It wasn't much, but right now every little bit helped. The outbuildings on the property all remained intact, and that meant that Zeek still had access to most of his equipment and supplies.

Unfortunately, everything else in the house was a total loss, including all of the girls personal belongings and the beautiful piano that Davia had enjoyed playing. Enid was sobbing, and Ingrid was trying to comfort her youngest daughter, reminding her that they still had their lives and that material things could be replaced. Maybe when they went on the run they might be able to find a few things that would appease the young girls loss.

As they were loading what they were able to salvage, Daryl took the time to pull Ingrid to the side.

"Davia told me what you did to try to save them, and I don't know how I could ever repay you for that." Daryl said to her.

"Daryl, I didn't even think about it, it was just a natural reaction. Those girls, especially Davia, already mean the world to me. I want to help out with the birth of your child when the time has come if you will let me."

"Without a doubt…you're like a momma to her, and she needs that, especially now. You and Zeek already have become a very important part of our family. I ain't good with words, but I want you to know that what you did means everything." Daryl told her.

"Daryl, you're family, and that's what families do."

"Well I'm finally at a point in my life where I'm learning that, and I'm real proud to call y'all mine." Daryl said. Without giving him a chance to say anything else, Ingrid pulled the younger man into a loving hug.

"You just make sure you return safe from Homer, and bring that big lug of a husband of mine back with ya." She said.

"Consider it done." He told her as he hugged her back, smiling at how good it felt to have people in his life he could rely on, and people he could trust to take care of Davia if he wasn't around to do it.

**I am soooo sorry for the delay, and I'm sorry about this chapter...it was kind of a transition chapter. Not a lot of action, but I was trying to get the "This is not a democracy" part of the story in here. **

**The good news is I hope to have an update on this mid-week, I'm on vacay this week...It's been a year. The bad news is that my job is turning into a total nightmare and I've now got some career decisions to make. **

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you would like to see...I'm always open for suggestions...I left a few hints of some things to come...hope you caught them. **

**Take care, and once again, I'm sorry about how long this took to update.**

**I love and appreciate each and everyone of you.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	39. Chapter 39

The next morning Daryl and Davia were woken to the smell of food cooking. Daryl didn't even have a chance to get out of bed before their bedroom door opened and Zeek was standing in the doorway.

"Get up you love birds! Ingrid made one hell of a breakfast for us and the doc stopped by to check on the princess here. He's joining us and he brought you something to help you get around a little better." Zeek said enthusiastically. Daryl couldn't help but admire how Zeek and Ingrid both still seemed so positive, even after losing their house and one of their precious daughters.

"Do ya need help getting up?" Daryl asked Davia.

"Just a hand to help me get out of the bed, and I will handle the rest. I don't want to lay around today. I also want us to go and talk to April. We owe her that." Davia said, and Daryl nodded in agreement.

Davia hobbled to the table while Daryl tried to help her, but she refused his assistance.

"Good morning everyone. Dr. Mahmet I'm glad you can join us." She said sweetly.

"Please call me Milton. I came by to check on you and to thank Daryl and Zeek for helping me retrieve Andrea's remains. It was a lovely service we had for her yesterday. She would have been proud." Milton said.

"She deserved it Milton, because even after death Andrea managed to save our lives." Davia said sweetly, feeling sorry for the man.

Milton just smiled back at them, not really hiding the hurt in his eyes as Davia offered her condolences. "If you two are planning on speaking with April, today might be a good day to do so. I checked on her this morning and she was in good spirits. Daryl, your father and stepmother have been good for her. Count yourself lucky to have such a good family support system Daryl. Most people aren't that fortunate to grow up with a family like that."

Daryl snorted at the comment. Milton had no idea how different things had been for Daryl as a child. That being said, he wasn't going to re-hash his childhood with the Doc. It just wasn't worth it anymore. All Daryl knew these days was that Will wasn't the same monster he used to be, and that Daryl would never let his children experience anything like he had.

"Davia, I brought you a cane to help you with getting around. I'm just going to ask that you take it easy and if the area around the wound becomes inflamed, begins to burn, or starts to bleed you see me immediately." Milton warned her.

"I will, I promise." She told him, touched by his concern.

The rest of breakfast went by with Zeek and Daryl talking about the run the next day and Milton, Ingrid, and Davia talking about her pregnancy and what to expect. Davia tried to not become overwhelmed, but it was difficult with all the information that was being dropped on her. Ingrid assured her that she would be there every step of the way and would get her through everything. That did help with some of Davia's anxiety.

…

After breakfast Davia and Daryl went with Milton to check on April. Jacqui greeted the doctor and young couple with a big smile and warm hug and Daryl couldn't help but smile. Jacqui just had a way of bringing out the good in everyone.

"Will is in there with her playing cards. It's become a daily ritual for the both of them. Helps her to keep her mind off of things and it allows Will to get to know her better. Father Gabriel usually stops by and we all have prayer. The only other time I've seen someone change so quickly was when Will came to know the Lord. April knows she only has a limited amount of time, but she is in good spirits and she is doing everything she can to protect the baby and keep her healthy." Jacqui told them.

"Why don't I examine her first then you two can visit with her." Milton told them.

"That works." Daryl said.

Will exited the room while Milton performed his exam. It didn't take long and when the doctor was finished he came out to address everyone. "She's getting weaker, but her heart is strong and the baby is still very active. That's a good thing, but I still stand by my decision to take the baby in a few weeks. April's heart isn't going to hold up much longer, it's taken a lot of abuse for someone as young as she is."

"We'll do everything we can to keep her comfortable and in good spirits." Will replied.

"Good, that's all we can ask." Milton said.

Daryl and Davia slipped quietly in the room April was staying in and Davia had to fight back a gasp as she saw just how gaunt and pale April appeared. April's features were almost skeletal and under her eyes she had dark circles.

Despite her appearance, April actually smiled when she saw the young couple.

"You actually came…thank you." She said.

"Heard you weren't feeling the greatest." Daryl replied.

"It is what it is. Look, I know I don't have a lot of time left and I wanted to talk to you both. The first thing I want to do is offer a truly sincere apology. First to you Davia, I was a total bitch to you. I should have NEVER judged you about your appearance. It was just an easy thing to do and I was wrong. You are beautiful and so freaking talented…I knew there wasn't anyway any of us could compete with that. It absolutely killed Cheryl that you had Daryl and she didn't. But you know what, it's the way things were supposed to be. Daryl needed you and you needed him." April said.

"Thank you April for that…it means a lot." Davia said. Davia could tell that April was speaking from the heart, since there wasn't any reason not to be honest.

"And Daryl…I tried to kill you and I don't have any excuses other than a complete loss of reality. I did horrible things both to you, and then to your little brother. I almost got him killed, and that is inexcusable. I truly believe that God offer's judgement, and mine is coming soon. Neither of you need to forgive me, I just hope you do." April said to them both.

"It's all water under the bridge." Daryl said. "You are doing more for us than you realize. This pregnancy ain't been easy, and you could have ended it, but you didn't. You are giving me the last little bit of my brother I have left, and for that I can't repay you."

"Daryl, Merle truly loved you. I know he wasn't in his right mind in the end, but he had his own demons to deal with. I don't know all the details, but something happened to Merle before he came back to Blue Ridge all those years ago. He never told me the story, but there was someone in his life that he lost, and it kept him from truly being able to move on. He drank and stayed high to forget whatever it was that happened. I wish I knew more, but I want you to know that other than that someone, you were the most important thing in his life. I know he didn't love me, but he was good to me. I would say this baby was a fluke, but I think God helped us create this life for a reason." April told them, holding back a few tears.

"April, we appreciate everything you are doing to keep the baby healthy. We will never be able to thank you enough for that, and just in case you haven't heard, the little one is going to have a sister or brother in a few months." Davia told her.

"Davia, that's going to be a lot on you, but I know with your extended family and Daryl you will be able to handle this. It took me a long time to realize this, but children really are a blessing, and with everything going on in the world, they are also miracles. They are our future." April said, and suddenly she gasped.

"What's wrong?" Daryl asked alarmed.

"Nothing, come over here both of you, it seems this little one is moving around…it's like she senses her family is here. Come feel her move." April said enthusiastically.

Davia made a move towards April first, but Daryl was a little more hesitant. Davia reached down to April's belly and felt the child move and then she pulled Daryl over and instructed him to do the same thing.

"Are ya sure?" Daryl asked nervously.

"Of course I am…she's your daughter Daryl." April told him.

Daryl reached out slowly and rested his hand on April's stomach, feeling the fluttering of the child just beneath the surface. He couldn't hold back the smile as he felt the child move.

"It's a damn miracle." Daryl said.

"It is Daryl, and you have been entrusted to raise two of them. Merle would be so proud of you." April told him. Daryl just nodded, not really having any words to express what he was feeling at this moment.

…

Rick and Michonne had a somewhat complicated relationship. After the meeting the prior day, Michonne followed Rick back to his cabin and she confronted him.

"Rick, I appreciate everything you are doing for this group, and the tough decisions you are making, but you can not control me." She said to him candidly.

"Michonne, don't you understand…I'm trying to protect you and keep you safe. I know you are tough, hell you are tougher than most of the men I know are, but you are still vulnerable. What if those assholes caught you outside these walls…by yourself. You can't single handedly take on a group like that. I couldn't live with myself knowing something happened to you that could have been prevented. These guys are predators, and you would be a prize to them." Rick told her.

"Rick, it's my decision. I would never intentionally endanger this group or myself, but I am fully capable of taking care of myself. I've done it before and I have been trained better than most of these people…I would even go so far as to say even better than you and Daryl." She said emphatically.

Rick simply nodded "You're right. I can't help how I feel though, Michonne, I'm falling deeply in love with you and maybe it's selfish of me, but I just want to keep you safe."

Michonne didn't say a word, but she suddenly found herself rushing towards the law officer and pulling him into a passionate kiss. It didn't take much for the kiss to progress and suddenly all the pent up fears and emotions the two had been holding back released and they found themselves in Rick's bed. Neither of them had been with anyone sexually in a long time, and their unbridled passion let itself loose. Skin on Skin, mouth on mouth, each of them fighting for dominance and trying to devour the other. Soon the cabin was filled with the moans of desire and pleasure.

The next morning Michonne awoke naked and wrapped in Rick's arms. She felt safe and satiated all at the same time.

"Morning." Rick said to her sleepily.

"Morning" Michonne replied, unable to fight back a smile.

"You're beautiful when you smile…you should try doing it more often." He told her.

"You make me smile…and if you make me feel like you did last night often enough then you are gonna be sick of this grin." She teased.

"Can't say you were too bad yourself." He told her.

"You know this changes things?" She said to him.

"For the better. Why don't you move your things over here and stay with me? Carl is with Lori for a while, and I would enjoy the company." He told her.

"Oh Mr. Grimes…what would people think," She said feigning an accent of a Southern Belle.

"I don't really give a shit what they think. I want you here with me Michonne, you make me happy and keep me grounded." He told her.

"I'll have everything over here by the end of the day. Are you going to ask my mom and step-dad for permission?" She joked.

"No…I'm going rogue on this one. As long as Daryl doesn't become an overprotective brother I think we are fine." Rick said laughing.

…

After the emotional visit with April, Davia insisted that she wanted to go take a look at the progress Will and Hershel were making with the building of the greenhouse. Daryl walked her over to the cabin they were in the process of converting and then opted to take a walk around camp. He didn't want Davia to think he was hovering, even though everything in him wanted her in his sights at all times, but that wasn't realistic.

Daryl was walking by the barn when he caught the scent of something very familiar. Without hesitation he burst through the doors of the building and found exactly what he suspected, and then some. Benny was smoking a joint and offering it to Eliza, Zeek's second youngest daughter, and Carl and Enid were thrusting each other's tongues down the other's throat.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Daryl demanded.

"Chill the fuck out Daryl." Benny said.

"I ain't gonna let y'all do this shit. Give it to me now Benny!" Daryl said as he put out his hand, expecting Benny to place the joint in it.

"No, you can't tell me what to do Daryl. This is my stash, and if I want to share it with my friends, then I will do so." Benny said emphatically.

"GIVE- ME- THE- FUCKING-WEED!" Daryl demanded again. His eyes were menacing and Carl finally spoke.

"Give it to him Benny…we don't want any trouble." Carl said.

"And what the fuck do you think you're doing over here Grimes? If her father found you instead of me you would be swallowing your balls about now." Daryl yelled.

"Wait a minute, we weren't doing anything other than kissing." Enid said emphatically.

"Well kissing leads to other shit, and throw in the weed and nine months from now we got Baby A and Baby B." Daryl said angrily.

"Huh, you're one to talk." Eliza said under her breath.

"What did you say girl?" Daryl challenged.

"I'm just saying that you are one to say anything about getting someone knocked up. I heard you have two kids on the way…so you don't get to lecture us about sex." Eliza taunted.

"You listen to me…You're lucky I ain't dragging you to your daddy right now. And not that I need to explain this to you, but I have one child on the way, and the other one is my brother's kid. Drugs and bad decisions got April pregnant and y'all four are headed down that path if you start this shit. Do you not realize what is outside these walls?" Daryl lectured.

"Sorry Officer Dixon. I thought you would be cool with this, but I guess I was wrong." Benny spat out.

"How in the fuck could I be cool with this? You think fucking around and getting stoned are wise decisions with the dead beating at our doors and asshole rapists outside the gates? Do you think that what happened to Andrea was a fluke? Benny…you don't realize how God Damn lucky you are you are still here drawing breath. And Carl, really…do you think you with all the shit your father has on him right now that this makes things easier? And you two girls…you just lost your sister and your home, and your parents haven't had a moment to grieve. What if something was to happen and all of y'all were too fucked up to respond? Use some common sense people." Daryl lamented.

"Are you gonna tell our parents?" Carl asked.

"I should, but I ain't…unless I catch you again. But if I so much as suspect any shit going on I will say something. And Benny and Carl…if y'all want to date these girls then you go to Zeek and ask permission. If he agrees, then y'all have my blessing. Good Lord people, just use your fucking head." Daryl said frustrated. He waited in the barn until Benny handed him the joint and the four teens exited. He hoped he had made a point with them, but only time would tell.

…

The next morning Zeek was driving the group towards Homer. He had taken the time the night before to explain the layout of the city and the places they needed to go to find the supplies that they required. The first stop was the hospital and Zeek had warned that he was pretty sure that of all the places in Homer, the hospital and the Sheriff's department would be the most over run. Public services would be the first place that people would try to get to for protection, not realizing that the large number of people congregating together would mean almost certain death.

As they approached the city limits of Homer it was obvious that the city had fell quickly. The entrance to the hospital still had ambulances lined up and there were numerous cars and trucks parked all around the Emergency room entrance. Zeek was right, because people had come here out of desperation. That meant there were probably large numbers of the undead roaming around inside the building.

They parked the truck so that it would be easy to get out if they needed to run. "We need to find the NICU and the pharmacy." Bob told the group.

"Follow me and everyone watch each other's backs." Zeek said. "I know this place like the back of my hand…I reckon having seven daughters born here pays off at some point and time."

They decided that since there were so many vehicles congregated around the back of the hospital towards the ER that it may be easier to enter from the front of the hospital.

"We need to do something to draw the walker's away from the front entrance." Michonne said.

"Why don't we create a distraction here at the back of the hospital, maybe that will work." Daryl said.

"What can we do that would be distracting enough that would draw away from the front?" Bob asked.

Zeek had a huge grin on his face. "You three head to the front, and just wait for me. I'll see you in a few minutes."

Daryl, Bob, and Michonne headed towards the front entrance and waited. Daryl knocked on the glass just to see what they were dealing with. It didn't take but a few seconds for about eight walkers to appear, snarling and trying desperately to get to the trio that waited outside. Suddenly it seemed the entire building shook as they heard a loud crash.

"What the fuck was that?" Daryl asked, knowing Zeek had something to do with it.

Zeek came running around the corner of the building, still smiling like the cat that ate the Canary.

"What did you do?" Michonne asked.

"Started one of the ambulances and let it crash through the back entrance. That should be enough distraction to allow us in." He said proudly.

Apparently he was right. The walkers that had congregated at the front entrance were now headed towards the back of the hospital.

"You're a crazy son of a bitch…you know that don't you?" Daryl asked Zeek.

"Sometimes the craziness is the difference between living and dying. Now everyone needs to follow me and let's get in and get out of this place. I hate hospitals." He told them.

They made their way to a stairwell that led to the second floor. That would be where they would find the maternity ward. They split into two groups, with Zeek and Bob headed towards the pharmacy and Michonne and Daryl headed towards the baby area.

Michonne started finding supplies at the nurse's station and began to fill her satchel. Daryl made his way towards the nursery, and that is when he heard it. It was a baby's cry. Quickly he began to run towards the cribs…desperately trying to quiet the baby as well as rescue the small child. What he found took his breath away and caused his heart to sink.

Inside at least four of the cribs were small babies, reaching up their little hands towards Daryl. But these children had died a long time ago and their undead bodies weren't strong enough for them to move, other than their feet and hands. Daryl had to look away, as the sight in front of him was too hurtful to see. While he was pre-occupied with the children he didn't hear Michonne come up behind him. He heard her gasp when she saw what was in the cribs.

"Don't look." He said in a gravelly voice, but it was too late. Michonne saw the babies and Daryl knew it had to resonate with his sister. She had lost her own child a few years earlier and seeing these small babies in an undead state had to hit her hard.

"Andre…" She whispered and Daryl noticed she had tears in her eyes. You didn't even have to be a parent to be emotionally wrecked by the sight in front of them.

"Come on Michonne, let's get out of here." He said.

"Daryl we need the supplies in here, and the babies, we can't leave them like this." She said sadly.

"Go on, you need to leave, I'll take care of this." He said somberly. At first Michonne just stood there, but finally she closed her eyes and left. Daryl pulled out his hunting knife, and very carefully, he slid it into the base of the brain of all four of the babies. Tears were pouring down his cheeks, but he needed to push down his emotions and focus on the task at hand. Once he was done, he covered up each of the children and then focused on gathering up the supplies in the room. It only took him a few moments, but the scene that had unfolded in front of him would stay with him for a very long time.

Daryl met back up with Michonne "you ok?" He asked.

"Gotta be. I just couldn't imagine leaving children behind like that. They weren't bit, but they simply died from neglect. When I lost Andre they had to fight me to get me to release his body in the hospital morgue. Even though I knew he was gone, I couldn't accept it." She said, once again fighting off tears.

"Michonne, I'm so sorry that happened to you…no mother should have to bury a child." Daryl said, trying to offer some sort of comfort.

"At least he didn't have to see what the world became. This is ugly, and Andre got to see all the beauty the world had to offer. He was three years old and never had to experience unhappiness. It's not much, but it is something for me to hold onto." She said to Daryl.

"He had a good momma and knew what it felt like to be loved…you can't ask for more than that." Daryl said.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of running coming towards them.

"Go, Go, Go...Walkers are headed this way, at least thirty of them." Bob directed.

"What the hell?" Daryl asked as he grabbed Michonne and they ran towards the stairwell.

Zeek began to speak as they ran "We got what we needed and Bob mentioned something we could try to get from the O.R. Some dumbass had done a piss poor job of locking the dead in there and as soon as we cut through the chains they began to pour out. We didn't know because they were behind the second set of doors." Zeek hated making mistakes, and this one had the capability of costing all of them their lives.

They quickly ran down the stairwell and into the main lobby, which was now crawling with walkers. Zeek's distraction had run it's course and now the walkers were searching for their next meal, and right now Zeek, Bob, Michonne, and Daryl were on the menu.

Daryl burst through the door and began to sling his crossbow, knocking down walkers and clearing a path for the others. "Don't shoot unless you have to…we will draw more on us." He barked out.

Michonne began to wield her Katana, easily taking out walkers in her path. Zeek had pulled out a huge bowie knife and was slicing away, blood spraying everywhere as he went after the walker's one by one. Bob had his knife and was stabbing away, not noticing that a walker that had been down was now getting back up. Daryl turned just in time to see the walker about to take a bite out of Bob's shoulder. "Bob drop now!" Daryl shouted and Bob did as he was told as Daryl let a bolt fly, landing between the walker's eyes.

"Jesus Fuck Dixon, that was close. Thanks man." Bob said. Daryl simply nodded in affirmation. The foursome had successfully cleared out the main lobby and were now running through the parking lot to quickly load up their supplies and head towards their next destination.

Once they were all settled in the truck Zeek asked "Everyone alright? No one bit?"

"We're all good, but that was too close for comfort. There is a Target on the way out of town, we should be able to get the rest of what we need there as long as it isn't too picked over." Daryl said.

"Well the good thing about Alaska is that most people usually retreat to the hills and avoid small towns on a good day. My guess is we won't have too much to deal with. If it gets to dangerous we'll abort the mission." Zeek said.

"Mission? What the fuck are we military now?" Daryl asked.

"Shut up Dixon…you know what I mean. Don't need a smart ass." Zeek replied.

They were in and out of the Target with no issues. The place was untouched and deserted. Daryl was going through the women's clothes trying to find some things for Zeek's daughters to wear, and when he picked up a sweatshirt with Teddy Bears on it Michonne shook her head. "Daryl, don't even try. Why don't you head over to the maternity section and try to find something for Davia. I would look for anything that is a size 12 or a Large. It may be a little big on her, but I think bigger is better than smaller." Michonne told him. Daryl grumbled but did as Michonne had told him.

They stayed at the Target store for an hour and successfully managed to get plenty of clothes, coats, underwear, and various other supplies. "We're gonna need to come back." Daryl said to Zeek.

"We can come back in a few more weeks. I've made a mental note of what we have here, and we can go over what we need back at the camp. We should leave something for someone else…just in case. You know we aren't the only survivors." Zeek said.

"You got a point, but if it is still here when we return, whatever we want is ours." Daryl said.

…

The ride back to camp was much more relaxed than the ride into Homer. Zeek mentioned that Carl and Benny had asked if they could "court" his daughters and he had given his blessing, but also mentioned that if either boy hurt one of his girls there would be hell to pay. It appeared that Daryl's lecture did not fall on deaf ears.

As they headed around the last bend before the camp came into view, Zeek slammed on the breaks in the truck.

"NO!" Daryl shouted. In front of them a horde of Walker's had all but taken down the front wall and blocked the gate. Daryl jumped out of the truck but all he could hear were screams and gunshots. Somehow while they were gone a breech had occurred and the foursome in Zeek's truck now had to figure out a way to rescue their families before it was too late.

**This chapter is kinda short, and I apologize. I've got a little writer's block this week. **

**Please leave me a review...they actually do help with the writer's block and keep me enthused with writing this story. I truly appreciate each and everyone of you that have left a review. I know you don't have too, but it is awesome that you take the time to do so.**

**How many more Sunday's until S6? Too many...**

**THanks for reading.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	40. Chapter 40

**WARNING- MENTION OF SELF HARM...This is a very dark chapter.**

Daryl ran with reckless abandon towards the wall. He didn't hear Zeek and Bob yelling at him to stand down. All he knew was his wife was somewhere inside those walls and he wasn't there to protect her.

"Daryl get back here!" Zeek bellowed.

"Fuck y'all…Davia is in there." He screamed back. Daryl dropped his crossbow…it wasn't going to do him any good with the sheer number of walkers and then he pulled out a gun and his knife. He was so intent to get to the other side of the wall he didn't notice that Michonne had come up beside him.

"I'll clear a path, but you are going to have to come up with a way to get through the wall." She told him.

Daryl didn't have time to think…all he could do was react. Michonne went ahead of him and began to clear out walkers, wielding her Katana with ease. Daryl then rushed towards the wall and as he approached he heard his name yelled. The wall was mostly intact, except for a portion that had opened up that was just wide enough for one person to get through. The walkers were bogged down at this point, and the force of the undead pressing against the breach was causing the wall to bow.

Suddenly, Daryl heard his name and looked up to see Rick and Abe taking down walker's with their guns. "Daryl, we need you on this side of the wall…we've got about sixty walkers that have made it in from both the front and the back. The back gate was opened up at some time."

Daryl looked at Michonne "I'm going through the back, you and Zeek help out up here."

Michonne nodded, and she continued to take down the undead with a precise swing's of her weapon. Bob and Zeek were soon beside her, doing their best to fight off the walker's that were continuing to make their way towards the wall.

Daryl ran around the back of the camp and sure enough, the back gate was wide open and Walker's were still ambling through. He pulled his knife and began slashing his way through the crowd and clearing out a path so he could enter the camp. He heard screams, but there was so much chaos that he couldn't quite pin point exactly who was screaming…until he heard Davia.

He saw her, at least fifty feet away from him and she was covered in blood. She was wielding that damn bat again, and taking out walker's left and right. Damn his girl had a lethal swing.

"Davia, get back to the cabin!" He screamed as a walker made it's way towards him. He pulled out the revolver and shot it dead between the eyes.

"I can't Daryl, the porch is overrun." She told him. It took Daryl a couple of more shots and a few swipes with his knife, but he made it over to Davia.

"You gotta get somewhere, you are covered in blood and it is attracting these things." He told her.

"My stitches have ripped, but I'm not bit." She yelled at him, taking another swing as a large male walker lunged at Daryl. She took it down swiftly.

Then they heard it…Abe was yelling "Everyone Down." He said…followed by a large explosion that drew the Walker's towards the front wall. Abe had apparently found a grenade and tossed it, causing a distraction that forced the undead to move towards the chaos.

Quickly Daryl dragged Davia with him and he made it back to the rear gate. He and Davia pushed with all their might and were finally able to get the gate closed, preventing anymore walkers from getting in. It took another ten minutes, but the group managed to kill the remaining walker's trapped within the walls, but it cost them greatly.

There was a commotion towards Daryl and Davia's cabin and the two quickly made their way over there. Milton was trying hard to administer first aid to someone lying on the ground and Daryl quickly caught that his father was pale as a ghost. Daryl ran over to see what was happening and what he saw hurt deeply. Jacqui was lying on the ground, a large chunk of her stomach was missing and she was trying desperately to breathe.

"Please Doc…do something." Will begged. The next thing they heard was Michonne screaming and Rick trying with everything he had to hold her back so she wouldn't be subjected to the sight of her gravely injured mother.

"Momma…Momma No!" She yelled as she pushed away from Rick and ran to her dying mother.

"She's suffering." Lori shouted.

Jacqui's lips were trembling "Will…I'm ready to see my Lord. Please stay strong for your family and Michonne. I love you Will Dixon. You know what you need to do." She said as she bit her lip…trying to fight back the immense pain.

Will picked up his gun and aimed it at his wife…his salvation, but he couldn't muster enough strength to pull the trigger. Daryl was at his father's side and he gently took the gun from his father.

"Ms. Jacqui, close your eyes and relax…Thank you for giving me a Father." He said in an almost whisper. Jacqui closed her eyes and Daryl pulled the trigger. The deafening blast resonated through the camp and then was followed by silence, except for the sounds of Michonne and Will's cries. Jacqui was a beautiful soul that didn't deserve to go out like this, but what Daryl did was the most humane way to end her suffering.

"I'm sorry." Daryl said in a barely audible tone. He hardly even registered Davia standing at his side, rubbing soothing circles on his back.

"I love you." She whispered, trying desperately to keep it together for Daryl and his family.

…

Daryl stayed and helped his father and Michonne wrap up Jacqui's body so that she could be buried, but not before he commanded Davia to return to the cabin immediately.

"Go back to the cabin and don't leave, I'm sending Milton over to look at ya. Don't argue." Daryl told her.

"But…" Davia tried to reply.

"Now!" He said back to her, letting her know he was deadly serious. She let out a sigh and stormed back to the cabin, none to happy with Daryl at the moment.

Daryl scooped up Jacqui and carried her to his father's cabin so Will and Michonne could have their last moments with her and so that they could prepare the body for burial. Daryl didn't say anything, but simply left after he had placed the body on the table at Will's request. Rick was with them, doing his best to be strong for Michonne, but Daryl knew that no matter what anyone said at the present time, words weren't going to make it better. They all needed time to grieve.

Daryl then stormed back to his cabin. When he arrived, Davia was laying on the bed and Milton was re-stitching the wound on her hip.

"How's she doing Doc?" Daryl asked.

"Fine, but I would recommend that in the future Davia should avoid such strenuous activity. She could risk her and the baby's health, especially as the pregnancy progresses." Milton told Daryl.

"Won't happen again, I'll see to that." Daryl said. Davia just looked at him and simply rolled her eyes, and her reaction was not lost on Daryl.

He was angry and scared. Probably more so scared, which is what made him angry. Milton left and Daryl lit into Davia.

"That was probably the stupidest thing you have ever done Davia. From here on out, you don't leave this cabin without my permission. Do you hear me?" He barked.

"Daryl, stop being such a dick. I'm an adult, and if you had been here when this began, you would have realized I didn't have a choice. Did you not notice all the dead walkers on the porch and in the front of the cabin? If I had simply stayed in here they would have easily broke down the door or the windows and gone after me. I took most of those out myself because I knew I had to protect OUR child. I am not helpless." She yelled at him.

"You just don't get it do you? I should have been here to protect you, Every time I leave, something bad happens to you and that's on me." Daryl said, his voice full of frustration and angst.

"No, you don't get it Daryl. This ISN'T on you. Sometimes there are things that happen that are outside of your control, and you just have to accept that. I am stronger than you think, and you have to trust me." She screamed. By now their argument had gotten loud enough that most of the camp could hear them.

"Trust you to do what? Stay out of harms way? You have already proven you can't do that. This is three times since we have been here that you have made reckless decisions? Going over the wall, the incident at the Lindstrom's, and now this? How can I trust you Davia? If I lose you and the baby, then I will have nothing. Don't you get that?" He said, this time almost pleading.

"Just go Daryl. I need a moment to myself right now. If you see Beth can you just tell her I need to see her?" Davia said, frustrated.

"Fine, but this ain't over Davia. I'll be back before Jacqui's service, but right now I need to help get everything back sorted. We are lucky that we only lost one person. Now I gotta make sure my dad doesn't do anything stupid." He told her as he stormed out of the house, but not before Davia got one more shot in.

"You are wrong Daryl Dixon, this IS over. I refuse to let you treat me like I'm helpless…so you just need to deal with it." She shouted.

Daryl left, and Davia was seething and to be honest, she was hurting as well. Without thinking she picked up a glass on the counter and hurled it with all her might against the wall. It shattered in a million pieces, but Davia had to admit it felt good to release her anger. She flopped down in a kitchen chair and took a look around the cabin. There was walker blood splattered on the windows and door, but inside the cabin was perfectly in tact. But Davia's anger got the best of her and she soon found herself alone in the kitchen, sobbing. She had never been so mad at Daryl, and she was pretty sure he felt the same way. Why couldn't he just accept things and go on? She wasn't quite sure, but something did seem a little off with him.

…

Daryl didn't need to find Beth, because she sure as hell found him. "Daryl what the fuck is wrong with you?" She said giving him a piece of her mind.

"Stay out of it Beth, you don't understand." He warned.

"Don't tell me to stay out of it after everyone in this camp heard how you were talking to her. Davia doesn't deserve your shit. She did what she had to so she could protect herself, the baby, and others around here as well. Instead of being mad you should be happy that she WAS able to take care of herself. If anything, that should make feel better knowing she is strong. I'm sorry Daryl, but you were wrong in what you just did. I'm going to see her, and when you return to the cabin, you need to get yourself straight. Now if you will PLEASE excuse me, I have a friend I need to tend too!" She said, storming off towards the cabin.

Daryl stood there, and rubbed his hands across his face. Beth was right, Davia didn't deserve to be treated the way he had treated her, but he was trying to make a point that she needed to leave the heavy lifting to others. Daryl was terrified that something would happen to his wife, and the worse thing was he blamed himself for not being here when all hell broke loose. But he couldn't be here all the time because he was needed outside the camp at times to make sure that everyone had adequate supplies and food. On top of everything else, all he kept picturing was those four babies…little hands reaching up…trying to get the meal they didn't get when they were once alive.

With so much anger and fear still boiling through Daryl, he needed to release some of his pent up energy. Therefore he opted to help check all of the Walker corpses, planting his knife violently in each one's head, just to make sure there was no chance they would come back. After about an hour of expending his energy and helping his adrenaline levels to return to normal, they had all the walkers piled up just outside the wall, in the ditch that surrounded the camp. There was a lot of damage to the walls, and Daryl needed to find Rick to see if he could figure out what happened.

It didn't take long to find Rick, exiting Will's cabin.

Rick spoke first "Daryl, you're a mess. Have you seen yourself? You're covered in blood and guts and I think it's best if you clean up before returning to Davia. You don't smell too good either."

Daryl gave a small chuckle…of all the things he was dealing with now being covered in walker blood was the least of his worries. "I'll clean up in the main lodge before the service. Not real sure Davia wants to see me right now." He admitted.

"Yeah, I kinda heard the fireworks over there. Daryl, just a word of advice… you have to let her make her own decisions. She's a smart girl with an unbelievable will for survival. You said it yourself after she was attacked by Ed. She really did everything she could to protect herself and the baby. And just so you know, she is very good at killing Walkers. I think you might have rubbed off on her." Rick told him.

Daryl didn't want to talk about it anymore, so he changed the subject "So what the fuck happened? Where did all the walkers come from?"

"Not really sure, it was like they just showed up in an organized herd. Once we get things secure around here I'm gonna take a ride and check things out. We almost lost the camp…if you and the others didn't arrive when you did, I don't wanna think about what could have happened. It's devastating losing Jacqui, but it could have been worse."

"How's Michonne and my dad doing?" Daryl asked.

"You're dad is relying on his faith, but Michonne, she hasn't really said much. She's just kind of going through the motions. After the service I'm going to take her home and care for her, offer her whatever I can. Carol said she would fix a meal for us, which surprised me. Maybe she's starting to come around. She's seems to be cozying up to Dale these days. I guess he is really good for her." Rick said.

"I don't trust her, but that's just my instinct. I ain't got nothing I can prove. Maybe she is changing back to how she was before. I know one thing, if she does that would take a load off of Davia's mind. She feels like Lori and Carol are constantly attacking her." Daryl confessed.

"Lori has her problems, and having a big mouth is one of them, but since Shane is out of the picture she might finally straighten up. Right now Carl is doing his best to help her, and I gotta give the kid a lot of credit for that. He's always been a fierce protector of his family, and it seems that even though he had his issues with his mother, he's putting her and the baby's needs before his own." Rick told Daryl.

"He's a good kid…did he say anything about liking Zeek's youngest daughter?" Daryl asked.

"He did, and he also mentioned that he actually asked Zeek for permission to date her…you wouldn't know anything about that would ya?" Rick asked.

"Not a thing. All I know is he needs to be sure not to get caught doing anything bad to that girl, 'cause I imagine Zeek wouldn't be understandable if something happened." Daryl cautioned.

"Agreed, reckon my son is braver than I thought. He seems close with your brother, and that's a good thing." Rick said.

"I wouldn't go that far, but they need each other. Benny's got his demons, but I'll leave it at that." Daryl said.

"Come with me and let's see if we can sure of the front wall." Rick said, and Daryl followed him towards the front wall and main gate area, where Tyreese, Zeek, and Brad were already assembled.

…

When Beth arrived at the cabin, she found Davia sitting at the kitchen table in an almost inconsolable state. She rushed to her friends side and offered her words of comfort "Shhh Davia, it's gonna be OK. It was just a really hard day for everyone. Daryl will come around, I promise."

"Beth, I've never seen him this angry before."

"I don't really think he's mad as much as he was scared. You know Daryl, he wants to protect everyone, and with what he had to do to Jacqui, I think that put him over the edge. I wouldn't be surprised if he imagined it were you laying there…dying." Beth said, trying hard to shed some light on the situation.

"It doesn't matter does it? I think he's pretty much done with me after today…I keep proving that I'm a failure at keeping myself from getting hurt, but I can't help it." Davia said.

"It wasn't your fault Davia…none of it. You are the one that saved us when those guys were after us at Ingrid's, and what happened today was simply because you re-injured yourself. Davia, I wish I could be more like you instead of this scared little girl everyone sees. I'm just a dead girl as far as everyone is concerned."

"Don't say that Beth, it's not true. I'll be fine raising these children, as long as Daryl still keeps an active part in their lives. He might not love me anymore, but he loves these children." Davia said, crying even harder now.

"Why don't we go outside and get some fresh air Davia, are you able to get up with your hip in the condition it's in?" Beth asked.

"Yeah, could you get me the cane in the corner. Milton brought it by this morning so I would have more mobility." She replied.

"Sure sweetie, now let's go outside for a few minutes." Beth said.

They walked out onto the front porch and surveyed the camp. Davia spotted Daryl, Brad, Zeek, and the other men moving the bobcat up against the front wall as a temporary solution for holding the wall in place. Daryl's movements were slower than normal and that had Davia concerned. Had he been injured and not said anything? It wouldn't be the first time he kept an injury from her. She could also see he was covered in blood and guts. It was about that time that it hit her, the putrid scent of the bodies being burned on the other side of the wall.

"Oh God Beth, I'm gonna be sick." She said as she ran into the house to the bathroom so she could throw up. Beth ran in after her.

"What can I do Davia?" She asked, almost panicked.

"Nothing, just stay here with me." Davia begged.

"I will honey, don't worry." Beth said as she rubbed Davia's back while Davia wretched again.

For about twenty minutes Davia continued to vomit uncontrollably. So this was what morning sickness was like? She didn't like it one bit. Fortunately for her Ingrid showed up and took over for Beth.

"Come here love and let's lay down. I'm going to prepare you some ginger tea to settle your stomach, and I'm adding some chamomile to settle your nerves." Ingrid said in a soothing voice.

Davia nodded and laid down on the bed as Ingrid had instructed. She quickly found herself nauseous again and pushed herself back into the bathroom.

Ingrid then whispered to Beth "See if you can find Daryl. He needs to make things right with her, she's worked up and that's not helping."

Beth nodded and ran out of the cabin towards where the men were working.

"Daryl, you need to get things straight with Davia. She's really sick and Ingrid thinks her nerves are making it worse. It's the least you can do."

Daryl sighed, realizing he was still covered in blood and guts. "Get me a clean change of clothes and meet me in the main lodge, I can't let her be around me while I'm this filthy." He told her.

Beth ran back to the cabin and Daryl made his way to the main lodge. He quickly went to the shower and chucked his filthy clothes in the corner. The warm water felt soothing as it poured over his aching body, but he didn't want to linger in the shower for too long, Davia needed him and he owed her a major apology. Why was he always such a fuck up?

Beth knocked on the door and let Daryl know she set his clothes outside. Once he was sufficiently clean he grabbed a towel and prayed no one was in the main room. He quickly opened the door, wrapped only in the towel, and grabbed his clothes. It took him less than thirty seconds to get dressed and then he ran back towards his cabin.

The first thing he heard when he got to the cabin was the sound of Davia heaving in the bathroom. He ran across the cabin and into the bathroom where Ingrid was with her, holding her hair as Davia threw up over and over again. But she had the dry heaves and anything she had eaten earlier in the day was now gone.

"Daryl, can you stay with her while I fix some Tea to settle her down?" Ingrid said.

"Yeah, I got this." He told her. Daryl then dropped down on his knees beside Davia.

"I'm so sorry Davia. I had no right to treat you the way I did, and I know you did everything you could to protect the baby. I was just scared and you know how I react when I can't control my emotions. Baby please please forgive me." He begged of her.

"Oh God Daryl, I feel like I could die." She said, once again heaving.

"Let me get you up off this floor and to the room. I will get a bucket for you so you don't have to keep running in here. Ingrid is making you some tea." He told her in a calm voice.

"Daryl, are we OK?" She asked.

"We are just fine…I apologize for being a dick. I'm surprised you even allowed me back in the house." He told her.

"Daryl I love you…just because I got mad at you doesn't mean my feelings changed. I thought for sure you didn't want anything to do with me anymore." Davia said.

"No baby, this was all on me. I was the one that freaked the fuck out. I promise, it won't happen like that again. I know I don't own you, and I know now I can't control you like a puppet. I am so sorry for putting you through this. I just hope you let me make it up to you." He said.

"No worries Daryl. As long as you still love me I'm fine." She told him, trying hard to smile.

"Come on." He said as he scooped her up off the floor and carried her bridle style into the room. "You don't weigh nothing no more Davia, you gotta eat." He said.

"Ugh…please don't mention food." She said.

He placed her down gently on the bed and Ingrid followed them into the room. "Here are some saltines and some tea. You may feel sleepy after drinking it, so maybe you can get some rest."

"What about Jacqui's service? Will asked me to sing." She said.

"They're doing it tonight after dark. Daddy wanted a candlelight service for Jacqui. I think I actually saw my mom go over there to check on him." He told Davia.

"That's sweet of her. See, if they can get along with everything that happened in the past, we aren't gonna have any issues Daryl." Davia assured him.

"I love you Davia. Now let's eat these crackers and drink this tea. You need to rest." He told her, sitting down on the bed beside her. He pulled her so her head was in his lap and he wrapped his arms around her, cradling her to his body.

…

Jacqui's memorial service was a very emotional affair. Will insisted on carrying his wife to her final resting-place. "I'm putting my angel to bed for her final sleep." He told Daryl as he tried to help his father. It broke Daryl's heart to see how much Will was hurting.

Daryl and Michonne did help Will as he climbed down in the grave to lay Jacqui down. His son and stepdaughter held Jacqui's body until Will was situated, and then they gently lowered her down to Will. He laid Jacqui down as gently as a man would lay his wife down on their wedding night. Daryl could feel the lump forming in his throat as he witnessed just how much Will loved Jacqui.

Once they had Jacqui's body settled Daryl helped Will climb out of the grave. One by one they lit candles that Rosita had found in the storage room. Will began the service with a prayer.

"My dearest Lord, I ask that you take this beautiful angel into your loving and protective arms. She's at peace Lord, and she had a faith that never wavered. I know she loved you Lord, and I suppose you loved her so much that you needed her there with you. Thank you Lord for allowing us all to get to know her, for we are all better for it." Will prayed, whispering the last few words.

He then began to speak "As most of you know, I wasn't always a good man, in fact, I may have been the Devil himself. I was an adulterer, and I threw away a good thing with my wife Nora. I was an alcoholic child abuser, and I beat my sons so bad that at one point, I thought I had killed Daryl. I saw what I had become and that is when I walked away. It wasn't fair to them, but it was the best thing for them all. That's when I ended up in the Lord's house in Chattanooga. I was still under the influence of alcohol, but I knew this was the solution to what I was missing in life. As I prayed to God for forgiveness, he gave me the most beautiful angel with a soul so pure that you could almost see it. That angel was my Jacqui, and she saved my life, and gave me my son back. Jacqui made my life worth living again, and now…" Will got choked up. Michonne made her way to comfort him, but he gently raised his hand in protest.

"Now, I hope I get to see my grandchildren grow into strong survivors, just as Jacqui was. My heart aches and feels empty without her, but I know that a part of her will always be with me. She deserved a funeral fit for a queen, but knowing Jacqui, she wouldn't want it. Thank you my love for saving me. I love you always." Will said, finishing his heartfelt Eulogy.

Michonne was trying hard to keep it together, but the tears streaking down her face gave he away. Rick stood strong by her side, a gentle hand on her back, just to let her know he was there for her. Michonne had already known the most awful feeling of loss, losing a child was probably the most painful thing anyone could go through, but losing her beloved mother was a close second. Will had done her justice with his words, and Michonne felt the need to say something, but she just couldn't. All she managed to do was to whisper out " I love you momma, and I will do what you wanted me too…survive." The only people who heard her were Will, Daryl, and Rick, but that was enough.

Davia, who was feeling somewhat better, but who was still weak started to sing the hymn that Will had requested.

_**O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,**_

_**Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;**_

_**I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,**_

_**Thy power throughout the universe displayed.**_

_**Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,**_

_**How great Thou art, How great Thou art.**_

_**Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,**_

_**How great Thou art, How great Thou art!**_

_**When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,**_

_**And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.**_

_**When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur**_

_**And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.**_

_**And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;**_

_**Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;**_

_**That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,**_

_**He bled and died to take away my sin.**_

_**When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,**_

_**And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.**_

_**Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,**_

_**And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"**_

Brad and Beth added a three-part harmony on the chorus, and when Davia sang the last part of the song, Will dropped to his knees weeping. He could no longer be strong. This hurt almost as bad as the realization that he had destroyed his family. Jacqui had saved William Dixon and now he had lost his personal savior. But he still had his son, his stepdaughter, and his faith. He would prevail, because that is what Jacqui would want him to do.

…

Over the next three days, Davia was becoming more and more concerned for Daryl's well being. He seemed to revert back into himself, and had become very quiet. She noticed he tossed and turned each night, and sleep seemed to evade him. He now possessed dark circles under his eyes and his normally cat like reflexes were less than stellar. He wasn't sick, just worn out.

She tried to approach him about seeing Milton so maybe he could give him something so he could sleep, but he refused, saying they needed to save all the medicine they could for those that really needed it. Daryl would work from sun-up to sundown each day, helping to restore and strengthen the walls, hunting with Zeek and Brad, and following up with Rick on any clues they could find about where the marauders that had been taunting them could be.

Morgan and Abe pretty much stumbled upon a major clue of where the herd had come from. They had found an abandoned tractor-trailer about two miles down the road that had obviously been filled with walkers. That meant, that the attack on the camp was deliberate, not a natural progression of the undead. Tara used the description "Walker Bomb" to describe what someone had created, and the term stuck. It was very obvious that this group wanted the camp, and was willing to stop at nothing to get it. But they were like ships in the night, very elusive and not seen.

They had killed Vienna, Shane, Jacqui, and Andrea, as well as attacked Benny, killed a teenage girl, and kidnapped her brother, who it would appear they were using as bait, if he was even still alive. All of this weighed heavily on Daryl and the others. The not knowing where they were was frustrating.

After yet another long day of working around the camp and hunting, it had begun to snow and the winds were whipping. Daryl's face was slightly red from windburn, as he hadn't suspected the weather to change so abruptly. It was dinnertime and darkness was beginning to fall on the camp. Daryl had lucked out and hadn't been assigned watch that night, but instead the responsibility had been given to Brad, T-dog, Tyreese, and Abe. Four men to man the four corners of the camp. All heavily armed, and dressed for the weather. Four hour shifts, and then they would be relieved at midnight by Bob, Rosita, Morgan, and Rick.

Rick had noticed how worn down Daryl appeared, so he gave him a couple days off from watch duty and told him to just stick to scouting with Zeek, and hunting for the group. The Snowshoe rabbits were triple the size of the rabbit's he had grown up around in Georgia, and they also appeared to be quite abundant. They made good eating and Davia seemed to really enjoy them, so Daryl had set his sights on trying to bag as many as possible. Zeek was more interested in the big game, such as Caribou, but agreed that if they had spotted any rabbits, he wouldn't turn down the opportunity to kill those.

After a the long day that turned bitterly cold, the two men returned to the Cabin. Ingrid continued to dote on Davia, making sure that she ate properly and drank the ginger tea anytime she would begin to feel nausea. It was important that she didn't dehydrate, so Ingrid was very diligent in her care of the younger woman. Davia had to admit having Ingrid around was comforting. Having a child in the Alaskan wilderness was less than ideal, but at least they had a doctor and a very experienced mid-wife.

Daryl flopped a half dozen rabbits on the table and Zeek tossed another five into the mix. "Take what we need and then I'm donating the rest." Zeek told Ingrid. Davia got up to help get the rabbit's sorted and Ingrid told her to just stay seated. "We don't need you getting sick again honey, and trust me, these don't smell that good once they are gutted. I'm going to take them to the main lodge and prepare them there with the girls. Take some time and spend it with Daryl." She told Davia, but so Daryl could hear.

"And you need to take a bath Daryl, Davia is sensitive to smells right now, and no offense, but you smell like dead animals." She said letting out a laugh. Zeek laughed along with her, and she turned to him "You are worse old man. Take some clean clothes and you can shower at the main lodge while I cook dinner." Ingrid told her husband.

"I'll be back shortly, once I check on the girls and get them squared away. Now you two enjoy your privacy." She said as she dragged a mumbling Zeek with her.

"I see you got a bunch of rabbits…Mmmm!" She told him.

"I know how much you like them, especially the way Ingrid cooks them." He told her.

"Honey, I don't want you getting upset, but you look rough. You're not sleeping and then you are pushing yourself to your physical limits. What's wrong?" She asked him.

"Ain't nothing wrong, just want to get everything safe and secure…and to catch those bastards that keep attacking us. I'm thinking about staking out the village a couple of nights this week once the weather clears. I wanna put an end to them now." He said in earnest.

"Baby, you aren't going to do anyone any good if you are too tired to hold your eyes open. Why don't you let me fix you a bath so you can relax? I can see the tension rolling off of you. Once you are done I'm sure Ingrid will be back with dinner, and maybe we can play cards with Zeek and Ingrid, and hopefully you can get some rest tonight." She told him.

"Don't feel right playing cards knowing my dad is still grieving. I'm worried about him. He seems fine, but I know he is still hurting." Daryl confessed.

"Why don't you go and invite him over to dinner." She suggested.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll talk to him." He told her.

"Fine, and I will fix your bath while you are over there." She told him.

"Thanks" he said as he headed over next door to see his dad.

Daryl knocked on the door, and when he heard voices he assumed Michonne was visiting, or maybe possibly April was sitting with him at the table. She had been pretty much bed-ridden, but Daryl knew that on occasion she would have a burst of energy and want to get up and move around, but it was getting more and more difficult for her. It was sad that someone as young as April only had a little time left here, with the world the way it was, you would think it would be the undead that got ya, not some regular disease.

Daryl entered and was surprised to see his mother and father enjoying a cup of coffee together. What was even stranger was the fact that his mother looked like a deer caught in headlights when Daryl entered.

"Daryl, Hi…Um, I thought I would come over and visit with your father and just check to see how he was doing." She said nervously. Why she was nervous, she didn't know, but it felt strange to be in the presence of another man that wasn't Cesar.

"Good to see someone checking on him. I was gonna see if he wanted to join us for dinner tonight." Daryl said to both his mother and his father.

"I'm good Daryl. Nora fixed April and I dinner and we ate a little earlier. Do you wanna pull up a chair and stay?" Will offered.

"No, I'm gotta get back to Davia. She's been feeling poorly and I wanna keep an eye on her." Daryl said.

Nora looked at Daryl and became a little alarmed at how tired he looked "Daryl, are you taking care of yourself? You look exhausted and I'm worried about you." She said.

"I'm fine, just been working hard. Hard work keeps you young." He said, not wanting to mention the fact he hadn't been able to sleep in roughly three days. Ever since the trip into Homer, and the subsequent return to the chaos of the camp, Daryl had been haunted. He just hadn't told anyone about it. He had thought about talking to Karen, since she was a psychologist, but he didn't want to burden her with his problems. He would just do what he had always done and that was deal with it alone and buck up. What he didn't want to admit to himself was that the nightmares were getting worse. They would go away eventually, wouldn't they?

Daryl ran back to the cabin and Davia already had a hot bath ready for him. Thank God for propane and hot water. He couldn't imagine taking an ice cold bath with the weather turning as cold as it was. She was stoking the flames in the fireplace when he walked in the cabin and he scolded her. "Hey, sit down and take it easy. I'll be right out." He told her.

Daryl went into the small bathroom and stripped off his clothes, noticing Davia had set out clean ones for him, along with a fresh towel. These were the things he appreciated so much about her…the fact she cared enough to anticipate his needs. No one had ever treated him so well, and it was just another reason he adored the fuck out of her. He still was feeling guilty about their argument a few days earlier, but she had assured him that it was all water under the bridge.

Daryl stepped into the small tub and let his body relax. It felt so good as the hot water relaxed his muscles and eased some of his aches and pains. He just closed his eyes for a moment, relishing in the feel of the almost scalding water on his body but he opened them to find himself covered in a tub full of blood. "Huh, what's going on?" He asked himself. He looked around and saw that both of his wrists were slit vertically and blood was just pouring from his arms. So much blood and it was his and no matter what he did, he couldn't stop it. He began to feel weak as the life drained from his body, and he had to admit, he hadn't ever felt so at peace…

"Daryl wake up!" He heard Davia scream.

"Huh?" He said as he opened his eyes, confused.

"Baby you fell asleep, and I heard you thrashing about in the water. Please promise me you will get some rest tonight. You could have drowned in the tub if I hadn't come in here to wake you up." She said.

He was embarrassed that his body was betraying him so much. Damnit, if he could just get one night of sleep everything would be so much better. But my God, that sense of peace, it was incredible feeling…nothing else to worry about, no more people to fail, and no more visions of the dead.

…

Dinner was a quiet affair with Zeek and Ingrid. The two were making eyes at each other all evening and Daryl knew they wanted to have a good romp to get out some frustrations. He just hoped he and Davia would be half as amorous when they were their age. He had heard plenty of guys at the bar complain about non-existent sex lives after so many years of marriage.

Finally, Daryl couldn't hold his eyes open anymore and he and Davia retired to their room. "Y'all best keep it down, I need my beauty rest." Daryl teased the older couple.

"Hush young man, I know how to control myself, don't forget I have lived in a house with seven daughters…you learn tricks over the years." Ingrid teased. Zeek just gave Daryl a wink and slapped Ingrid on the behind as he dragged her into their room.

Davia giggled and Daryl just let out a chuckle. The couple climbed into bed together and Daryl fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. His body finally had a chance to relax, but his mind…it was on it's own tonight.

"_Merle, Merle where are you?" Daryl asked. But there was nothing. Instead he looked into the cold dead eyes of something that used to be his brother. He was snarling and Daryl looked closer and noticed that Merle was eating April, and his unborn child."_

"_No Merle, Please don't do this brother, you're killing the baby!" Daryl screamed. Merle looked up at Daryl after ripping a chunk out April's abdomen…there was no recognition on his face. All Merle wanted to do was make a meal out of Daryl. He growled and made his way towards his brother. Not knowing what else to do, Daryl pulled out his buck knife and began to stab Merle in the brain, over and over again until the entire side of his face was collapsed and the growling ceased. Daryl had done it. He had killed his own brother, with a knife, Just like the one that Merle had tried to kill him with. _

_Merle's dead body faded from his sight and was soon replaced with the sounds of crying babies. He looked around and realized he was back in Homer in the nursery. Those four little babies that he had put down in a merciful act were screaming, begging to be fed, and Daryl took his hands and covered his ears, trying to block out the tortuous sounds of the starving children. Not knowing what to do, and wanting the sound of the screaming to stop, Daryl picked up two of the children and held their rotting bodies to his chest. They were so cold…they tried with everything they could to feed on him, but they didn't have teeth or the means to break through his flesh. He held them looking in their eyes that death had overtaken months ago. "Why God? Why are you making me see this?" He begged._

_Then he heard Will "Daryl, don't pretend you know God. He's making you pay for you sins son, it's only natural. All those people that you let down…you are nothing but a failure." Will taunted._

"_Wait, I thought you had changed." Daryl asked his father._

"_Changed? I will never change, but you just wanted it so bad that you believed it. You killed my wife Daryl, and because of you Merle is dead. You're worthless and if you don't leave Davia you are going to get her killed as well." Will told his son while laughing hysterically._

"_I can't leave her, she's carrying my child, and I love her. I will protect her…" He told his father._

"_Protect her? Who are you kidding Daryl. Look what you did to her." Will said. The next thing Daryl was seeing was Jacqui lying gravely wounded on the ground. She was in agonizing pain and he knew what he needed to do._

_Will was standing there "You can't do it can you…you were always weak."_

"_I have to do it, she's suffering." Daryl told him. He picked up the gun and placed it to her temple, but he was too slow and Jacqui had already slipped away. He looked down at her, and now her eyes were the same as Merle's, and the babies at the hospital, Dead and gray.  
_

"_No…God no, I'm so sorry Jacqui, you don't deserve to turn like this…into one of those monsters." He screamed at his mistake of taking too long to find the strength to put her out of her misery. Then he heard it, Davia screaming…_

"_Daryl you killed me and our child" He looked just in time to now see the undead Jacqui tearing into Davia, just as Merle had done to April. All the children and their mothers were dead because he couldn't be strong enough and make decisions that needed to be made. He trusted the wrong people, and he was weak. He killed them all. And to make matters worse, Will was there taunting him "You're weak, and your worthless…it's your fault they are all dead. But you can change all of this Daryl…Here." Will said as he handed him a gun. _

"_You know what you need to do."_

Daryl woke with a start. He looked down and Davia was sleeping peacefully beside him. Thank God. His body was covered in sweat and the walls of the room felt like they were closing in on him. "I gotta get out here." He said to himself. Quietly he got up and pulled on his boots, grabbed a pack of cigarettes and a bottle of Southern Comfort and headed out the door.

The air was freezing, but it made him feel more alert. He headed for the barn where he wouldn't be noticed by anyone on watch. He sat down in a corner and the visions of his nightmares were playing over and over in his head. He lit a cigarette and began to take pulls directly from the bottle. The alcohol was warm and soothing, and it lulled him into a false sense of security.

…

Davia woke up to find Daryl missing, and the sheets soaked with sweat. She got up and couldn't find him anywhere in the cabin. She slipped on her coat and made her way next door to Will's to see if he had seen Daryl.

"Just earlier when he asked me to dinner. Has he gone missing?" He inquired.

"I just know he isn't in the cabin and Rick was emphatic about him not taking watch for a few days. I'm not sure where he is." Davia said in a concerned voice.

"We'll find him sugar." Will told her. He pulled on his shoes and coat and they headed outside. Will picked up Daryl's footprints in the snow and they followed them into the barn. What they saw when they entered would haunt Davia for the rest of her life. Daryl was sitting on the floor against one of the stalls, empty bottle of Southern comfort laying beside him and his revolver in his mouth.

"Daryl NO!" Will yelled as he saw his youngest child about to take his life.

"Get away from me old man…you know I'm a failure…you said I would kill them all, like I did Jacqui and Merle. I can't live with myself knowing that I hurt them. You haven't changed…it's a lie." Daryl said, fighting back tears.

"Will, go now!" She screamed. Will looked confused towards Davia, Daryl needed him at this very moment and she was sending him away. As Will approached her she whispered "Get Karen, she's a psychologist, she might be able to help."

Davia slowly walked towards Daryl "Honey, please don't do this, we can get through anything you are feeling. You can't do this to me, or our children. I can't go on without you baby." She said, almost begging. She dropped down on her knees beside him.

"Please Daryl, hand me the gun. You don't want to do this. You've been under too much stress and you are exhausted. It's causing you to hallucinate. Please honey…you are gonna hurt yourself." She said it ever so gently, reaching out to take the gun from him.

Crying like a child, he gave up and handed the gun to Davia. "I can't do this anymore. Those children, I had to kill them, just like Jacqui." He told her.

"Daryl, what children?" She asked.

"At the hospital. I can't do it, not again. " He began to sob.

"You won't have to Daryl, I promise. We are all gonna be fine. Please honey, we need to get you some help." She whispered as she wrapped her arms around him. Fortunately, Karen and Will showed back up and she handed Daryl's gun to his father.

Karen took one look at Daryl. "Daryl, we should talk, but first, I think you need to take something so you can sleep, you're body is so deprived that it's effecting your mental state. "

"Karen he just drank a fifth of Southern comfort, is it safe?" Will asked.

"We'll give him just a little something, not much, but if he doesn't get any rest than he's not going to get better." She insisted.

And with that, all three of them returned to the Cabin to take care of Daryl. Davia just hoped they could put her man back together again.

**Hey guys...Daryl is in a bad place, and I imagine I would be too if I had gone through what he has over the past few days. Please drop me a review and let me know what you think of this chapter, especially since it is so dark and emotional. **

**I hope you aren't mad about the direction I took this chapter...It's sort of a tearing down so you can build back up type of thing.**

**Hope to hear from ya, I promise to give you a shout out if I do.**

**Take care-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	41. Chapter 41

Davia held onto Daryl like he was her lifeline. Milton and Karen came to an agreement on just how much of a sedative to give him and fortunately, Daryl didn't fight them. He was now asleep with his head in Davia's lap. She noticed how worn his features had become, and she was kicking herself for not realizing how badly Daryl's mental state was disintegrating.

She knew something was off after he returned from Homer, but she was so caught up in her own self she didn't bother pushing the issue with him. She was a horrible wife, too selfish to realize that her husband was struggling with something. Davia still didn't know the specifics of what Daryl had been exposed to in Homer, but she knew it had to do with infants. She made a note to speak with Michonne and see if she could give her more information about what had sent Daryl down this dark path.

Davia had pulled several blankets up and around Daryl's sleeping form, scared to death he would wake up cold. She didn't really want him to wake up for a while. If he was asleep he couldn't harm himself. Since knowing Daryl she couldn't have ever imagined him considering taking his own life…yet here they were.

Occasionally Daryl would let out a whimper, or his body would tense up, but he remained asleep and Davia just continued to hold onto him until the early morning. Davia refused to let herself rest, because she was afraid that if she fell asleep Daryl could possibly slip out again. Around six in the morning, barely able to hold her eyes open, there was a knock at the front door. Ever so gently, she laid Daryl's head on the pillow and carefully got out of the bed. She was surprised to see Will and Michonne standing on her porch.

Before Davia could even get a chance to speak, Will addressed her "How is he?"

"Sleeping, I don't know how peacefully, but at least his body is resting." Davia said.

"Honey, you look exhausted, have you slept a wink at all?" Will asked.

"I couldn't because all I could think about was Daryl slipping out again and trying to finish the job. I can't believe he would want to end it all. It just doesn't seem like him. He's always been a survivor, and this goes against everything he has always fought for." Davia said.

"I think what he discovered at the hospital in Homer has effected him worse than I thought." Michonne said.

"Michonne, what was it? He mentioned to me he killed babies…but I can't imagine him doing that." Davia said.

"In the hospital nursery, there were four infants…newborns…they had been abandoned and starved to death. They were turned, their cries/groans were haunting and it disturbed Daryl. He wouldn't let me in the room to see them, but I caught a glimpse. He put them out of their suffering, but it must have bothered him worse than he let on. Between that, and then ending momma's suffering…It's a lot to deal with, even for the strongest of men." Michonne said.

Davia gasped at what Michonne had divulged. Of course it had an adverse affect on him. He had two children on the way, and Daryl was always one that would relate the worse of any situation to his own life. Davia knew when he saw those undead infants that Daryl really saw his own children.

Michonne then spoke again "That's not the worse thing though. Karen told Rick what happened with Daryl last night, and she's trying to convince him that Daryl needs to be sedated and restrained while she begins treatment on him. She told Rick he was a danger to himself and possibly others."

"No, I won't allow it. He's exhausted, that's all that is wrong, nothing more and nothing less. He hadn't slept in days and he was hallucinating. Has Nora been notified yet?" Davia asked.

"I let her sleep, and I thought I would talk to her this morning. Just be prepared for Mama Bear to go into effect." Will informed Davia.

"Right now Mama Bear sounds welcoming." Davia said.

"There's something else, and this is not going to make you happy, Rick has called a meeting first thing this morning to discuss what happened with Daryl. They are going to vote on what they do with him." Michonne told her.

"What? No…they can't do that. It's not anyone's decision except mine. I want to be at that meeting." She insisted.

"Someone will need to stay with Daryl." Will replied.

"Ingrid will stay, she doesn't need to get involved in this battle and I know Zeek will stand up for Daryl." Davia said.

"OK, the meeting is in thirty minutes. Can we see him?" Will asked her.

"Yes, but please don't wake him. He needs all the sleep he can get." She said, and they both knew she was right.

…

Ingrid had agreed whole heartily to stay with Daryl. Once Davia had told Zeek what was going on, he was emphatic that he would not allow them to restrain Daryl like a wild animal. Daryl had taken on a lot in the past year, and he just needed to work through his demons. Extreme exhaustion could cause the mind to play tricks on someone, and Zeek knew that Daryl wasn't a danger to anyone…including himself.

Outside it was still snowing and the wind was bitter, but it had no effect on Davia. All she cared about at the moment was that the group understood that Daryl was not a threat to anyone, and that all he needed was rest and privacy. She already knew once he learned that his personal business was being discussed in an open forum he would be livid, but most importantly, she needed to set everyone straight.

Everyone was gathered in the bunkhouse. Zeek's daughters were preparing breakfast as Rick started the discussion.

"Last night there was an incident with Daryl. As many of you know, he's had to handle some heavy lifting around here, and it's effected his mental state. Davia and Will found Daryl intoxicated last night, with a gun in his mouth. Karen was summoned and determined that Daryl was suicidal and hallucinating and she has expressed concerns for Daryl and the groups safety."

Zeek spoke first, and very forcefully "There shouldn't be any concerns. Daryl wouldn't harm anyone…including himself. If he had a death wish he would be dead already. There's a reason he didn't pull the trigger, and that is because he wants to live. This discussion is a waste of time and an invasion of his privacy."

"I disagree." Karen said.

"Of course you do, you're a damn shrink." Zeek replied.

"Just hear me out. This is not a personal vendetta against Daryl it's a discussion about the well being of the entire group. We were lucky that Daryl didn't hurt himself last night, but he is fragile and he was most definitely hallucinating. He was convinced that his father was out to kill him and that if he didn't kill himself, then he would cost other's their lives. That says to me that he is having thoughts of harming others…possibly at the direction of whomever he is seeing in his hallucinations. Until Daryl can get himself back to a point where he is mentally stronger, I think there is a risk he can see any of us as a threat to what he holds dear. It wouldn't be for a long period of time, but I think that we need to move Daryl to an area in the camp where he can be restrained, and by himself with the exception of myself. I can counsel him and get him through this dark cloud that is effecting his judgement."

"No. I refuse to allow you to treat him this way." Davia said slamming her cane down on the floor. She didn't yell or scream, but she said it in a firm and serious tone, allowing everyone to know she meant business.

"My son is not a monster, and I'm with Davia, I will not allow you to treat him this way. I didn't know what happened with Daryl last night, but had I have known and after seeing this group's reaction, I wouldn't have said anything to anyone. This is a family matter, not a matter for this group to be concerned with." Nora said emphatically.

"I disagree." Lori said while unconsciously rubbing her belly.

"Excuse me?" Davia questioned the woman.

"If Daryl is anything less than stable, then that puts my son and my unborn child at risk. I agree with Karen, Daryl needs to be held somewhere until we can determine that he is mentally fit. We all know Daryl's emotional stability is always hanging by a thread, but this…event… it proves he isn't safe. I'm sorry, I know he has worked hard to provide for us as a group, but he is a threat, and threats need to be eliminated." Lori said emphatically.

"Of course you would say that Lori. There is nothing you would love more than to keep me from my husband. If everyone decides to turn on Daryl and restrain him, he will die…and I mean that literally." Davia said.

Will, who was normally calm, was beginning to anger. "Maybe we are at a point where we need to just part ways. Daryl was instrumental in getting us all here…to the safety of Alaska, and this is how you repay him?"

Rick then spoke "I would prefer not to restrain him, as I don't see him as a threat, but people need to feel safe, and it appears that they don't. Therefore, when Daryl wakes up, I will take him to one of the extra cabins and we will keep him there until he receives the care he needs. I will put Milton and Karen in charge to determine when it will be safe to let him back into the camp."

"No…you can't do this. Karen please, you know Daryl…you know how good of a man he is." Davia said, tears springing forth as she begged for her husband's freedom.

"If this is what you choose to do…then I am taking my family and we are leaving." Zeek said.

"Zeek, please you need to understand why we have to make this decision." Rick replied.

"We're leaving too." Brad said, speaking for him and Beth.

"Us too." Hershel said with Maggie and Glenn nodding in agreement.

"We can't split this group!" Rick yelled.

Milton stepped forward "With all due respect Rick, I have to disagree with Karen. I have a medical license, Karen doesn't. The way I see it if we lock Daryl away, we are doing much more harm than good. He isn't a threat to anyone. Exhaustion is the demon he is battling, not suicidal or murderous tendencies. Zeek had a very good point, if Daryl really wanted to die, he would be dead already. Lack of sleep and mixing of alcohol would leave the best of us in a desperate situation. Give him a few days off, let him hunt, and allow him to stay with his family. He needs the break anyhow…he's worked harder than anyone in this group and never complained, and I know he will keep up the grueling workload unless you say something to him. I would stake my career on this decision."

"But…"Karen replied.

"Karen, that's enough. I know you are a good psychologists, but Milton is right, you're not a doctor. Doing what you did to Daryl goes against everything you are supposed to represent, including doctor/patient confidentiality. You saw him last night and he wasn't violent, just broken. I don't know if I can forgive you for what you have done to him. You know Daryl is extremely private about his personal life, and divulging everything that happened to this entire group is pretty shitty." Davia said, her voice getting louder at the end.

Carol then spoke "Milton's right…Daryl doesn't need to be locked up." Davia about hit the floor at Carol's agreement. Maybe they were right and Dale was a good influence on her.

"Fine, for now we will just monitor him, but if there is another episode like last night, then he will be separated from the group with no questions asked." Rick said.

Davia let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. For now, Daryl could take a break and not have to worry about being locked up. She knew her husband and she knew he wasn't a threat to anyone.

"Thank you." She managed to whisper knowing they had dodged a major bullet.

…

Zeek had pulled Rick to the side and assured him that he would keep an eye on Daryl. Will and Nora both expressed their gratitude and appreciated Zeek for all he had done for Daryl. No one could deny that Daryl had grown close with the older man, and even Will knew that Daryl trusted the wild man like he had never trusted his own father, but he couldn't blame Daryl. As far as the father and son had come in their relationship, Will had still done unforgivable things to Daryl in his youth and he knew there would always be a ribbon of distrust that ran through Daryl. That distrust had reared its ugly head last night in Daryl's hallucinations. It broke Will's heart, but he didn't think it would be anything Daryl would ever be able to get over. Will was blessed that Daryl even allowed him into his life, and he would spend his remaining days trying to get his youngest son's trust back.

When Davia and Zeek returned to the cabin they found Ingrid cooking up a rabbit stew. The smell made Davia's mouth water, but she was still concerned about Daryl and asked Ingrid if there had been any change in her absence.

"He's still out. My guess is he will be for a while, the poor man is just exhausted. He's mumbled a few words in his sleep, but I haven't seen any evidence of nightmares. Once he wakes up I think Zeek should take Daryl on a hunt. These rabbits are plentiful around here right now and everyone in the camp seems to enjoy them…plus they are actually easier to track in the snow." Ingrid suggested.

"Let's just see how he is doing when he wakes." Davia said.

"How did the meeting go?" Ingrid asked.

Zeek spoke "It went off the rails in a hurry…they wanted to lock up and restrain Daryl…but I put my foot down and told them if they did I would take you and the kids and leave, and several other's stood with me. Daryl means a lot to this group, and no one will allow him to be mistreated. Right now he just needs to be treated normal, and if he wants to talk about what happened, then he can, but for now it needs to be on his own terms."

"I'm going to lay down with him…I have to admit I'm pretty worn out." Davia said.

"Please rest honey, your heart is working for two right now. I'll wake you up in a few hours when I have food ready. How's your nausea?" Ingrid inquired.

"OK this morning, I guess I've been so preoccupied with Daryl I hadn't had a chance to notice it." Davia replied.

"Good, now get some rest." Ingrid said.

…

Davia went into the bedroom and carefully closed the door. She pulled off her clothes and pulled on a warm gown and then got in bed beside her husband. As she wrapped her arms around him she felt his body instinctively move closer to her. He might have been asleep, but he recognized the comfort of his wife's arms. She lay there a few moments, listening to Daryl's breathing and listening to his heartbeat. A single tear slipped down her cheek as she realized just how close that heart had come to stopping forever the night before.

…

"_Hey sleeping beauty…you planning on getting up anytime soon?" Merle asked._

"_I'm so fucking tired. Your ass keeps haunting me." Daryl told his brother._

"_So it's my fault now? Why do I still get blamed for everything?" Merle asked._

"_You turned into the undead, and I had to take care of ya myself. Everything is so fucked up Merle." Daryl said._

"_Daryl, you gotta put all that bad shit behind ya. What you did with Jacqui and those babies…it was a tough call brother, but it was the right call. You showed them mercy when no one else was able too. If you check out of this place who's gonna raise my baby girl? I need ya baby brother, you promised." Merle reminded him._

"_I'm sorry Merle…it was a fucking dumbass move on my part, but all I kept seeing was those babies, and then everyone else died. They killed April and Davia, and our unborn kids, and Daddy was there telling me what a loser I was. He told me to kill myself so they could survive…it was so fucking ugly Merle." Daryl said in almost a whimper._

"_Stop it Daryl…first of all ain't none of that God Damn shit real. Just like that Chupacabra you saw after doing shrooms. Daddy fucking loves ya and there ain't no way in Hell you would hurt anyone that didn't need hurting. Those babies are gonna be fine and you and Davia are gonna have a million more kids. But I told ya the last time, this Alaska deal ain't gonna hold out. When the time comes to get out Go to Anchorage to the military base. You will have your answers then!" Merle told him._

"_What's gonna happen Merle, do you know when?" Daryl asked._

"_Ain't allowed to say brother…but you got a trader in your group and it ain't who you think it is. Keep those who you are close too even closer. You're with the right people Daryl, they fought for you today and that means they give a damn. You ain't never had that before…so fucking cherish it." Merle said._

"_What happened today Merle? Tell me." Daryl asked_

"_Gotta go Baby brother…just remember what I said." Merle said as he left Daryl._

…

Daryl awoke and the only light he saw was the glow of candlelight. He could smell's Davia's scent all around him and he reached around his back and realized she was the warmth that was enveloping him. He tried to move without waking her, but her grip was so tight that she startled awake the moment he moved his arm.

"Sweetie how are you doing?" She asked tenderly.

"I feel like an ass." He admitted to her.

"Shhh…none of that baby. You've been asleep for the past eighteen hours. It's nearly eight in the evening." She said as she rubbed soft circles on his back.

"Davia, I want to live. I don't wanna leave you and the children or my extended family. Life is too fucking precious. I swear I ain't like you think I am…I ain't suicidal. My mind was fucked up and I was seeing things that weren't there. I hadn't slept in close to four days and I made a huge mistake." He said in the most desperate tone Davia had ever heard with him.

"Daryl…stop. I know you didn't mean it. Just lay back and relax and don't worry about anything for a few days." She told him.

"Davia, what happened today? I can hear it in your voice…something happened didn't it?" He asked.

"We can talk about it later sweetie. Why don't you just lay back and get some more rest." She told him.

"Gotta piss something awful." He told her.

"Are you hungry? I can fix you a plate." She told him.

"I could eat, but I ain't eating in bed like a damn invalid. I'm gonna get up for a bit." He said.

"OK, I'll get up with you Daryl." She said as she moved to get out of the bed, stumbling a bit as she had forgotten how sore her hip still was.

Daryl was at her side in a second "You OK darling?" He asked.

"Yeah, just forgot about my hip is all. We're like a bunch of damn old people." She said giggling.

…

Daryl and Davia got up and made their way to the main room in the cabin. Zeek and Ingrid were sitting together in a large overstuffed chair looking at family photos that had been saved from the fire. Both of them smiled when they saw the young couple make it out of their room.

"Smells damn good in here." Daryl said.

"Good, you can eat some rabbit stew…both of you." Ingrid said.

Daryl and Davia sat down at the table and were soon joined by Zeek. Ingrid fixed them each a bowl of stew and some cornbread Davia had made the evening before, and then joined them as well.

"How are you feeling man?" Zeek asked.

"Tired still, but better than I was feeling." Daryl answered.

"You scared the fuck out of everyone. They wanted to put you away and restrain you for the bullshit you pulled last night." Zeek said pointedly.

"They wanted to do what?" Daryl asked, looking at Davia who simply nodded.

"There was a meeting this morning and Karen was pushing to have you locked away and restrained so you couldn't hurt anyone. It looked like it was going that way until Doc Milt stood up and basically put Karen in her place and talked sense into this group of pussies. I gotta say, I'm even pissed at Rick for not fighting harder." Zeek said.

Daryl's face dropped into his hands and he soon began to run his fingers through his hair, letting out a grunt in frustration. "So the whole fucking camp knows."

"I'm sorry Daryl. The meeting got ugly, and the group almost split because of what happened." Davia told him.

"Who stood up for me besides Milton?" Daryl asked.

"Brad and Beth, Hershel, Maggie, Glenn, and of course Zeek and his entire family and your family as well. Rick wanted too, but he tried to remain neutral." She told him. "Oh, and Carol too."

"Carol?" Daryl asked.

"Yes, even Carol. Milton just told Rick to give you a few days off and to let you get rest. Karen is none too happy with us right now. I pretty much let her have it, and Zeek did too. Milton really knocked her down a few pegs as well. I hope this doesn't put a strain on your relationship with Tyreese." She told him.

"Fuck 'em. He didn't stand up for me so I reckon his bitch made him think I'm nuts." Daryl said angrily.

"We all know you're not crazy Daryl. Your mom has been over here three times to check on you and your Dad and Michonne have been by here twice." Ingrid said reassuringly.

"Zeek you up for hunting in the morning? I wanna get out of here before everyone gets up." Daryl said. Hunting was therapeutic for him, and if he was up before sunrise that meant he wouldn't need to have any awkward encounters with anyone in the group.

"Hell yeah. There's a lot of snow, but we can take the snowmobiles. Four AM sound alright to you?" Zeek asked.

"Perfect." Daryl said.

…

Daryl was laying back in bed, this time with Davia wrapped in his arms. "Would you have really left if they had decided to lock me up?" He asked.

"Without a doubt. Sometimes I think we should have taken our chances and stayed behind in Blue Ridge." Davia admitted.

"Would you wanna go back if we had to leave? Do you realize how hard it would be to get back?"

"I know, but it's home Daryl. The group is breaking, but the one thing we have here that we wouldn't have at home is a good doctor. Milton is amazing…he has lost so much though, and I don't know if he would have left with us if it came right down to it." Davia replied.

"We could talk him into it. Maybe we should think about going back. I'm gonna talk to Dale and see if he can find out anything about what's going on in the lower forty-eight. He won't say anything if I ask him not too, and maybe we should consider our options." Daryl said, thinking about what Merle had been warning about in his dreams.

"Hopefully we won't have to make any decisions until after the babies are born. I couldn't imagine having this baby on the road, but it's always a risk." She said honestly.

"I know it is, and regardless of where we are when this little one decides to make their appearance, I'll be there with you the whole way Davia. You won't have to endure this alone, and that I will promise." He said giving her a kiss on her forehead.

"Daryl, I'm glad you don't want to die. When I found you in the barn like that it scared me worse than anything I had ever experienced in my life. I would take a hundred beatings from Ed to avoid ever seeing anything like that again." She told him, almost in tears again.

"Davia I'm so sorry to have done that to ya. I love you baby and I promise I won't let myself get to that point again. I saw things in Homer that no one should ever have to see, and then when I got back I didn't have time to process any of it before I had to take care of Jacqui, and on top of everything else I was close to losing you too. I couldn't get all that shit out of my head and every time I closed my eyes it kept playing over and over again." He admitted.

"Daryl, Michonne told me what happened in Homer and I'm sorry you had to be a part of that, but what you did was merciful and I promise, you will never have to make that choice with your own children. These babies are going to be strong and healthy and they will live long lives. We will be grand parents and great grand parents to our babies, so don't ever think otherwise…you hear me?" She asked him with questioning eyes.

It was in the way Davia said it to him that left no doubt in Daryl's mind. She had a stubborn streak in her that reared its head occasionally, and he saw it in her eyes…determination. She was making him a guarantee, and with the amount of conviction in her voice he believed every word she said.

…

The next morning Zeek was up before Daryl, but he wasn't surprised. Daryl needed the extra sleep and Zeek wasn't going to wake him if he wasn't ready to get up. He had already gone out and fueled up the Snowmobiles and was now in the process of making a big pot of hot coffee. He had found an old thermos and made enough coffee so they could have some later. Ingrid had fixed some rations for the men to take with them, including some muffins and some caribou jerky. There were enough rations so that they men would be OK for an overnight trip if they needed. Zeek had also loaded up a small tent, sleeping bags, and a first aid kit. All they needed was their weapons and they would be good to go.

Before the coffee finished brewing Daryl had made his way out of bed and was headed to the bathroom. He carried his clothes with him so he wouldn't wake up Davia. He put on all the layers of clothing and picked up his ski mask, gloves, and a scarf. With all the specialized winter clothing that Davia had purchased before they left Blue Ridge he was guaranteed to be warm, even on a snowmobile in Alaska with temperatures in the single digits.

"You mind if I grab a smoke before we head out?" He asked Zeek.

"No, I'm gonna check on my girls and then we can go." Zeek told Daryl.

Daryl stepped outside into the icy cold air. In a way it felt invigorating, but there wasn't anyway he could ride that snowmobile without a ski mask and his gloves. He knew he probably looked like a fool, but even Daryl's pride took a backseat when it came to fighting off the bitter cold of Alaska. He lit up his cigarette and savored the flavor of the tobacco as it engulfed his lungs. With the babies coming he knew he needed to kick the habit, and truth be told, since they left Georgia he only smoked on occasions, but it was going to be tough to give up the habit all together.

As Daryl was about half way done with his cigarette, he heard a low whistle and looked up to see Rick approaching him.

"Rick." Daryl said quietly.

"You doing alright?" Rick asked.

"Going out hunting for the day, trying to avoid the awkward bullshit in this camp." Daryl said.

"Look, about what happened, if wasn't an easy decision either way, you gotta understand that." Rick said.

"I understand, you were doing what was best for the camp. Just keep this in mind, you try to cage me up and I'll leave this place. I'm a lot of things, and I can't say I ain't never done anything in the past that could have gotten me locked up, but you lock me up and I either gotta leave or die. I can't be caged like that." Daryl told him.

Rick nodded "I understand. We got a lot more underlying problems in this group than I thought. I can't put my finger on it, but I've got this feeling that something is going on that I'm not aware of, and I think in some way it's aimed at you or your family. By staying neutral it may help me to figure out what it is. Whoever is up to no good might slip up if they think there is a rift between us."

"Well I thought it could be Carol, but Davia said she even stood up for me, so now I don't know who it is. I don't think Karen was going against me to be malicious, but I do think she made a rushed decision. I don't know who else it could be." Daryl said.

"I'll keep my eyes open Daryl, but I just want to make sure things are still good between us. I love you like a brother, and if the others would have left, I would have gone too. Just don't tell anyone." Rick said as he gave Daryl a pat on the back and headed back towards his cabin.

…

Daryl and Zeek had set up snares in places where they had spotted rabbit tracks. Zeek also tracked for caribou, which were plentiful in the area. Daryl admitted the largest animal he had ever killed was a deer, and that he knew the caribou were even larger.

"You should try bagging a moose. They weigh over fifteen hundred pounds, but trust me you don't want to run into one of them without being prepared. I'd almost rather face a grizzly." Zeek said.

"You ever killed a Grizzly?" Daryl asked.

"Once, and it was a terrifying experience. I had already got a caribou and instead of field dressing it, I just slapped it on the back of my four-wheeler. It was late fall and I should have known better, since the bears are extra active mating and getting ready for winter. I didn't make it a mile down the road before I was greeted by an eight-foot grizzly. He stood tall and I thought I was a goner." Zeek told the younger man.

"What happened?" Daryl asked, excited to hear how Zeek got out of the situation.

"I thought about my girls, and someone finding my dead body in the woods and delivering the news to Ingrid. I lifted my shotgun and took the shot, and fortunately, I was dead on. Nailed him straight between the eyes and he dropped quickly. Took me thirty minutes just to calm down and realize what I had done." Zeek admitted.

"So how did you get it back?" Daryl inquired.

"Had my radio and called one of my workers at the mines. They headed down with a pickup truck and we loaded the animal up. Got the hell back to the house and dressed it quickly. Fed us for a good while. Bear meat can be tough, but if you know how to prepare it correctly it can be quite tasty. If you ever saw the rug in front of the fireplace at the house, that was from the same bear." Zeek said, smiling proudly.

"Well I don't want to run into any grizzlies." Daryl said.

"We shouldn't this time of year, but in another month or two momma bears are gonna be out with their cubs, and they are quite aggressive." Zeek told the younger man.

…

The two men hunted for a good part of the day. They had killed several rabbits, a few grouse, and couple of geese. "It's about time to head back and get these animals skinned and prepared. We can smoke some of the meat, and the birds can be eaten tonight. I haven't had a good goose in a while, and between the two of them there should be plenty to feed the group for a few days." Zeek said.

"I'm gonna lead up front, and see how fast this thing will run." Daryl said, giving the older man a big smile.

"Do what ya gotta do son, just don't blow the motor." Zeek said laughing at Daryl's enthusiasm.

Daryl revved the motor and took off, whooping as he wound up the machine. He was going through the snow at a pretty good clip when all of a Sudden Zeek saw Daryl get knocked off the machine as if he had hit a clothesline.

Daryl's body dropped into the snow and the Snowmobile still continued on into the tree line. Zeek was quickly trying to make his way towards Daryl when he saw two men approach Daryl in the snow. Zeek didn't have time to pull his weapon before the two men began to fire at him. He had no other choice than to pull behind a grove of trees to prevent from being shot. He saw the men grab Daryl off the ground, and fortunately, Zeek saw Daryl attempt to fight the men off, but they quickly over powered him and tossed him into their truck and they drove off.

Based on the description Benny had given of the truck that had taken him, Zeek knew it was the same men that now had Daryl. He had to get back to the camp to tell Rick and get a search party together. Daryl was in danger, and Zeek was not going to stop at anything to get his friend back.

**For some reason I love ending chapters on cliffhangers. I dropped a few hints of things to come in this chapter...hope you caught on. I'm toying with an idea, but I haven't decided if I am going that way yet or not.**

**FYI, the group that had Daryl is not the Claimers. I re-read the story and realized I killed them off before everyone left Blue Ridge...tis the down side of writing a story over a year, you don't always remember your details. That being said, you will recognize who took Daryl in the next chapter. **

**Thanks for everyone who has read, last chapter I got some really great reviews from bbwzoey86, ArcheryLefty, SkyeJ, DarylDixon's Lover,and Angelicedg. I would also like to send out a big shout to SillyGabby and JeanF for letting me bounce ideas off of them. I'll be hitting you ladies up real soon!**

**Please leave me a note on this chappie, and let me know if you have any suggestions. I would be curious to see who you think the trader is.**

**Take Care and happy Sunday. Hope everyone is enjoying the TWD Marathons. Can't wait til they re-show Season 5.**

**Hugs and Kisses-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	42. Chapter 42

*****WARNING- Violence and torture in this part of the story.*****

Just once he wanted one good day, but it seemed Daryl Dixon couldn't catch a break. He had been having a good time for the first time in a long while out hunting with Zeek and playing around on the snowmobile, and the next thing he knew he felt like he got hit by a bus. Things were blurry in Daryl's mind, and at the present time he was unable to move or see anything. So much for avoiding the restraints he had been threatened with the day before.

Daryl tried to move, but his feet and waist were also bound as he realized he had been secured to a wooden beam of some sort. He was blindfolded and his shoulders were burning something awful because they had his arms secured above his head. He was seated on the floor but that didn't make the pain in his arms any less. Daryl knew he was in a bad situation at the present time. His head was aching and he could taste blood in his mouth. The details of how he got in this situation were blurry, but he knew someone had worked him over pretty good.

"Well look here, the pretty boy is starting to come around." Said a voice that Daryl didn't recognize.

"Who the fuck are you." Daryl rasped out.

"You're worst nightmare archer. Hope you are enjoying our hospitality." The man sneered.

"Loving it." Daryl said in a snarky tone.

"Boy, don't you get smart with us, your next breath is in our hands." Another man in the room said. So there were at least two men Daryl noted.

"Why don't you just let me go, I ain't worth nothing to anyone." Daryl said trying to reason with the men.

Then he heard a third voice from someone younger "Oh that ain't true. That purty wife of yours thinks you're worth something and so does the leader of your group."

"Don't even mention my wife, you ain't fit to breathe her name." Daryl barked out. He was rewarded with a smack to his head, which already hurt. The contact caused his neck to jerk and for his head to spin almost causing him to vomit. Daryl surmised he had a concussion and not being able to see anything because of the blindfold meant he couldn't anticipate where and when the blows were coming from.

"Those are some mighty warm looking clothes you got on there. Hope you don't mind if I relieve them from you." One of the men teased. Daryl didn't have a chance to respond before he felt unseen hands on his body, ripping his clothes off of him and leaving him only in his boxers. The first thing he realized after being stripped down was how incredibly cold he was all of a sudden.

"Oh, are you cold? Too bad, we ain't got no heat out in our guest house." One of the men joked, Daryl surmised it was the younger one.

"What the hell are you gonna do with me? If you're gonna kill me ain't no one gonna care." Daryl said, trying to convince the men that he wasn't going to be of any value to them.

"There ya go again saying no one ain't gonna care. Boy we've been watching you and your group, and you are the Alpha male. We thought about the leader, but he's a smart one…doesn't let his guard down. You boy, you played right into our hands with your dumbass showing off on that vehicle." One man said, laughing.

Now Daryl was remembering what happened. He had been goofing off on the snowmobile and then the next thing he knew he had been knocked hard to the ground, his breath being taken from his body and his head hitting the ground hard. Fuck, why did he have to act like a damn kid? He realized now what a grievous error he had made and now he was in a mess and he needed to figure out a way to get out of it so he could return to Davia.

"Where's the man that was with me?" Daryl asked.

"Killed him, left his body to the animals." One man snickered. Daryl felt his heart drop into his stomach. What were Ingrid and his six daughters going to do without their husband and daddy? They needed him something awful, and now Daryl realized his error cost Zeek his life.

"We're gonna leave you here to ponder boy…We'd feed ya dinner, but that cost extra in this resort." The younger man teased. Daryl pulled down on his arm restraints in anger, but was only rewarded with more burning pain in his shoulders and neck. He heard the men exit the building he was in. He guessed he was in some sort of shed or barn.

The man was right, it was cold, bitterly so. Daryl was not thrilled about being left nearly naked and tied up, it made him feel extra vulnerable and he had to push down the panicked feeling that was racking his body. He was hurting and he was fighting off his demons from his past.

"Alright Dixon…you've been here before and you survived. Stay calm and think." He told himself. Somehow he needed to free his hands, but every time he pulled on the restraints a searing pain radiated through his upper body. He tugged with all his might, but all he managed to do was aggravate his wrists. They felt like they were ripping from his body and he now could feel blood dripping down his arm. For the first time in his life, Daryl Dixon was pretty certain he was going to die.

He talked to himself "Don't give up…you've got your wife and children to think about." He kept repeating that mantra over and over. If he could convince himself that he would survive this, then maybe he had a chance.

…

As soon as the truck had left, Zeek immediately went out to the tree line to retrieve Daryl's crossbow, which was still attached to the back of the snowmobile. The snowmobile had stalled out shortly after sliding into the woods, and Zeek knew that when Daryl returned, the first thing he would want would be his beloved crossbow.

The older man realized he had not escaped the shots completely unharmed. He now had a bullet wound in his side and could feel the painful burning as his adrenaline was beginning to wear off. He had to get back to the camp and tell the others. They needed to find Daryl, and time was not their friend at this point.

Despite his injury he made it back to camp in record time and nearly took down the front gate with his snowmobile. As the gate opened he flew through the camp shouting for Rick. Rick was having a conversation with Abe and Morgan and he could tell by Zeek's tone that something was wrong.

"Where's Daryl?" was the first question Rick asked when he noticed Zeek was alone.

"They got him. Must have been stalking us…They pulled a rope across the road and Daryl was going at a good clip on the snowmobile, took him right off the machine and they threw him into a truck. I tried to go after them, but they were armed. I took a bullet, but I'm fine." Zeek said.

Ingrid had heard the commotion of Zeek's return to camp and she quickly ran out the door to check on her husband. She spotted the blood seeping through her husband's coat and gasped. "Old man you're hurt, come with me now. Rick you can follow us."

Rick followed them back to the cabin they were sharing with Davia and Daryl and Ingrid instructed for Zeek to sit down and pull off his shirt while Rick continued to ask him questions.

"How many of them were there?"

"Three of them. Daryl was alive when they put him in the truck, the incident stunned him, but I saw him trying to fight the bastards off when they threw a sack over his head and tossed him into the vehicle. He did bang his head pretty hard on the fall." Zeek informed them.

"I'll tell Davia." Ingrid said.

"Where is she?" Zeek asked.

"She's with Will and Hershel working on the greenhouse. She has quite the garden starting to grow already, despite the weather. This is not going to be good for her pregnancy, but I don't see how we can avoid telling her." Ingrid said.

"Maybe you and the Man of God can talk to her, he always had a way with comforting people." Zeek said.

"Maybe. Looks like the bullet only grazed you, but there is a nasty gash here on your side. I'm going to disinfect it and bandage it up." She said.

"So back to Daryl" Rick said. "We need to get a group together and go find him. The longer we don't find him, the less likely we will find him alive."

"We need to leave sooner rather than later, it looks like another storm is coming in tonight, and this one feels bad. We can go and try to track from the spot they took the boy." Zeek said.

"Give me thirty minutes to get a group together…can we take your other snowmobile and just ride double? I don't know how well the trucks are going to make it through the snow." Rick asked.

"Yeah, we just need to fuel them up and we can retrieve the one Daryl was on when we return." Zeek said.

"We need to arm ourselves and I want to make sure everyone is on high alert…this could be a set up for another attack." Rick said.

"I'd double the guards and gather everyone else together in the main lodge. Keep everyone armed and keep the lights low." Zeek informed Rick.

"Sounds like a good plan. We aren't going to get caught with our pants down this time." Rick replied.

…

Davia was showing off her seedlings to Hershel and Will and didn't think twice when Ingrid appeared in their makeshift greenhouse. "My it is warm in here…and it looks splendid." Ingrid said to the younger woman.

"I really am enjoying this, we might have fresh vegetables in the next two months." Davia exclaimed happily.

"Davia sweetie, I need to talk to you, but I need you to remain calm." Ingrid told her. Will and Hershel looked like they were about to leave, but Ingrid asked them to stay.

"Come sit down over here." She said directing them to an old table and chairs that were in the cabin.

"Davia there was an incident today when the men were out hunting." Ingrid said it quickly, and Will's brow furrowed when he heard the news. He knew Daryl had gone out hunting with Zeek.

"Oh God, he did it didn't he…he promised he wanted to live and that he wouldn't abandon me." She said as she broke out into a full sob.

"No Davia, Daryl didn't commit suicide, but he has been taken by those men that have been after the camp." Ingrid told her.

The blood drained from Davia's face and Will quickly rushed to her side, almost certain Davia was going to pass out. Davia's eyes began to flutter and sure enough she began to see black specks. Fortunately Will caught her before she slumped over and fell out of the chair.

"We should get her back to the cabin so she can rest. This is just horrible for her to deal with in her condition." Ingrid said in a frustrated voice.

Will scooped up Davia and carried her to the cabin. "She doesn't weigh anything at all…we have got to make sure baby girl eats."

…

Davia finally came too in her bed. Ingrid was sitting beside her and Hershel also was sitting in a chair in her room.

"Please tell me I dreamed what you said." She asked desperately.

"Wish I could sweetie, but it's true. Rick, Zeek, Brad, and Will have gone out to look for him. They will find him, I promise." Ingrid said as she picked up Davia's hand and gave it a gentle kiss.

"He has to be alright. Benny got away, right? If Benny escaped maybe Daryl will too. He might even have already done it. No one is stronger than Daryl and he always said the only thing that can kill a Dixon is a Dixon." Davia said, not sure if she was trying to convince Ingrid or herself.

"He'll be fine, I feel it in my bones darling. You have to have faith, and as hard as this is, you can't worry too much…its not good for the baby." Ingrid told her.

"Why didn't more people go after him?" Davia asked.

Hershel then spoke "They wanted to keep the camp well protected because Rick wasn't sure if this was a ploy to get us distracted. The good thing was that Zeek said Daryl was giving them hell when the men took him, so he's still got his fight in him, and knowing Daryl he will fight like nobody's business to get back to you."

Davia let out a frustrated grunt. "I hate just laying here…there has to be something I can do."

"There is, you can take care of yourself and the baby." Ingrid told the young woman.

"What if he is injured? He's been through so much in the last six months…His body can't continue to take the trauma he keeps putting it through." Davia exclaimed.

"Zeek was just like Daryl twenty years ago. He's been in mine collapses, landslides, more than his share of brawls, and picked up every flu and sickness all the greenhorns brought to this state, but he is a survivor. I thought I lost him on numerous occasions, but the man was just too damn stubborn to die. Daryl's cut from the same mold Davia, and you have to believe that." Ingrid said, trying to reassure the girl.

"I hope your right." She said, fighting hard to hold back more tears. She was terrified, but right now her gut was telling her that Daryl was still alive.

…

Zeek, Rick, Brad, and Will arrived at the scene where Daryl was taken. Brad went to retrieve the Snowmobile while the other three men went immediately to the spot where Daryl had been knocked off his machine. They quickly picked up the tire tracks of the vehicle that Daryl had been put in.

"Is that blood?" Brad asked after returning to the men.

"It appears to be. There isn't any here where Daryl had fell off of the machine, but there is blood here where you can see they put him in the truck. I count four sets of prints, and you can see that someone had been dragged from the point of impact over to the place where the truck had been." Rick said pointing to tracks in the snow.

"Let's take the snowmobiles and follow these tracks, hopefully they will lead us to where we are headed." Will said.

They now had three vehicles slowly going through the snow. The tracks from the truck were easy to follow for the first thirty minutes, but as Zeek had predicted earlier, the weather was beginning to change drastically and the snow was moving in. The winds were whipping and after another twenty minutes they were in near white out conditions. The storm was coming in fast and the snow was falling at a rate that it soon had the tire tracks all but covered up.

Zeek spoke first "We need to head back or they are going to be looking for four more of us. This is gonna be a bad storm and if we don't return to the camp now, we may miss our opportunity."

Will then spoke "Y'all can head back, but I wanna keep looking for Daryl."

Rick replied "Will, the weather is too bad, and if you stay out here we'll be looking for your body when the storm passes."

Brad then spoke "I'll stay with him if you think it will make a difference."

"You men are not understanding the severity of these storms. Alaska isn't Georgia, these storms can rage for days and there have been plenty of folks lost in the snow, and their dead bodies were found months later when the snow finally melts." Zeek was telling them, trying to make the point of the danger they were in if they stayed out exposed to the elements.

"This is my boy we are looking for, I can't turn around until I know he is safe." Will pleaded.

"Will, I understand your concern, and it's legitimate, but it won't do anyone any good if we lose you too. I promise the minute the weather lets up we will be back out here looking for Daryl. We aren't going to give up until we have him back safe and sound." Rick assured the older man.

Will was reluctant, but he nodded his head in worried agreement and the four men then headed back to the camp.

…

Daryl was in agony. He couldn't stop his teeth from chattering, and he was pretty sure he would never have feeling in his arms again. The cold wind was ripping through the cracks in the walls in whatever building he was being held in, and Daryl was pretty sure he was headed towards a bout with hypothermia.

How long had he been here? Had they found Zeek's body? Was anyone looking for him? All of these questions were playing through his head. Once again, as if the results would be different he tugged with all his might on the restraints holding his hands above his head. He was rewarded with pain radiating through his entire upper body, leaving him breathless until the pain subsided.

"No need to even try boy, you ain't going nowhere." Daryl was still blindfolded, but he recognized the voice of the younger man that had been in the building earlier.

"Can I have some water?" Daryl asked in a raspy voice, hoping whom ever was holding him would take some pity on him.

"Sorry, can't waste it, plus if you drink then you'll have to piss, and I don't think you want to piss all over yourself, cause I ain't letting you down to relieve yourself." The man chuckled.

Daryl heard footsteps outside and soon heard a second voice. "Randall, what are you doing in here with our bartering tool?"

"Just going over some of the rules of our hospitality Dave." Randall replied.

"Why bother, he ain't gonna be around long enough for it to matter." Dave laughed.

"What are y'all gonna do with me?" Daryl croaked out.

"Well if we tell ya then we'll ruin the surprise." Dave responded.

"Fuck y'all. You're God Damn cowards who ain't got the balls to show your fucking face. You think you're gonna break me down, think again. And when your dead I'm gonna piss on your bodies and then shove your dicks down your throat." Daryl lashed out angrily.

"Is that so?" Randall replied. The next thing Daryl felt was a fist making contact with his left cheekbone. He saw stars, felt the pain, and now felt blood pouring down his face.

"That all ya got? My momma hits harder than that." Daryl taunted. He was rewarded with a kick to the ribs. Daryl felt his breath leave his body, but he stood strong and didn't react to the hit.

"Tough guy huh?" Dave said. "Wait until we get Tony out here with you." This time Daryl received a kick in the groin. He tried to not let out a reaction, but the pain was almost unbearable and he suddenly felt the need to puke and was unable to control the reaction.

"Filthy bastard." Randall said as he got up to exit the barn "You smell like hell." He taunted as he left.

"Fuck" Daryl thought to himself. He was in rough shape now, and he knew it. The only thing that comforted him was the fact that he wasn't going to let these assholes break him. He had showed plenty of weakness the other night when Davia found him with a gun in his mouth, but Daryl had time to re-think that decision, and realized he really wanted to survive. Maybe if he could get these men riled up they would make a mistake, or better yet, let him out of his restraints to move him. He just needed a break, and then he would take advantage of it, kill these assholes, and find his way back to his family.

Daryl was brought out of his thoughts when he heard another voice, but this belonged to a young child. Suddenly he remembered Adelaide mentioned the name of the child that disappeared from the village. What was it again? Sam, Shaun…no Scottie. That was it, and Daryl remembered her mentioning that he was seven.

"Are you Robin Hood?" The little boy asked.

"Huh?" Daryl responded.

"Are you Robin Hood? I saw you with a bow, and the big man you were with, was that Little John?" The child asked in a curious voice.

Daryl thought for a moment. "Do you like Robin Hood?"

"He's my favorite. I want to shoot a bow just like you do. I saw you with Friar Tuck, I didn't know he was a black man. I also saw the red headed man, was that Will Scarlett?" The child asked in an excited voice.

Daryl was trying hard to remember the story from his childhood. If this child thought he was a super hero, then maybe Daryl could use that to his advantage. "Do you think you could take this blindfold off so I can see you?"

There was a hesitation, then Daryl felt the child's small hands pull the blindfold down off of Daryl's eyes. There wasn't a lot of light in the building he was in, but he could see it was an old barn. Taking a look around he was surprised that the old building was still standing.

"Robin, can you take me back to my village? These men are mean and they keep making me do bad things." The little boy pleaded.

"Are you Scottie?" Daryl asked.

"How do you know? Have you been looking for me?" Scottie inquired.

"I have, and I want to get you back to your people. I think Miss Adelaide would be happy to see you again." Daryl said reassuringly.

"These bad men killed my sister." Scottie told Daryl.

"I know, I found her and brought her back to your people so she could have a nice funeral." He said to the child. The little boy's face fell, and tears escaped his eyes.

"I brought you some water, but don't tell the men." The child said. The little boy made his way over to Daryl and realized that the man wouldn't be able to lift the bottle to his mouth. Standing on the tips of his toes, the child took the bottle and put it Daryl's lips. He then began to pour the water into Daryl's mouth. The cool liquid slid down his throat and helped ease some of the raspy feeling Daryl had been suffering from. The child could see Daryl was almost gulping down the water and he tipped the bottle at an even sharper angle, causing water to spill out down Daryl's chin and upper body.

"Woah…tip it back down a little so we don't waste it." Daryl told the child. The little boy nodded and continued to administer the life saving water to Daryl.

After emptying the bottle, the child then disappeared to the back of the barn and reappeared with an old horse blanket. "You are cold, I'll wrap this around you to keep you warm."

"Do you have any way of finding something so I can use to get out of these bindings?" Daryl asked.

"I could look." The child said.

Daryl and Scottie were interrupted by a large man entering the barn "What the fuck is going on in here?" The man said as he spotted the child tending to Daryl.

"I…I was taking care of the guest." Scottie said, in a tearful whimper.

"Go in the cabin boy, we'll deal with you later. Tell Dave and Randall to get out here. Our guest has been bad and is going to get punished. Now get before we punish you too." The man said.

Daryl took one look at the fat man and knew whatever happened next wasn't going to be good.

…

For two days the blizzard raged and for Davia, it was the longest two days of her life. She knew the snow and the wind had covered up what ever clues there were to Daryl's whereabouts, and she was desperate to find her husband, if he was even still alive.

As the weather finally began to break, she begged Zeek to take her to the village. "I want to talk to this Ray guy you mentioned. He knows who has my husband, and maybe if I speak to him, he might tell us something."

"Ray ain't like that. He's a tough son of a bitch who is only out for his own good. The only way you might remotely have a chance of getting anything out of him is if you give him something in return." Zeek said pointedly.

"Something like what? Myself? I would if it meant I could find Daryl." She said.

"No, I don't mean anything like that, I was thinking about something more along the line of drugs or alcohol." Zeek said.

Nora, who had been with Davia trying to keep her calm, then spoke "I have a bottle of Xanax and some Oxycodone, and we have plenty of liquor. Maybe that will work."

Zeek didn't reply immediately, but then he nodded. "I'll take Davia to the village and she can try to talk to Ray. We can get Brad, Rick, and Will to follow, but I don't want them to attempt to enter the village, they won't take kindly to a group of men in their village. If he tells us anything, which I doubt he will, then we can leave from there."

"Maybe we should bring Bob too, just in case Daryl needs medical attention." Davia suggested.

"Not a bad idea." Zeek said agreeing with Davia's suggestion.

…

The group drove towards the village, parking their vehicles about a half-mile from the small town. This was a long shot, but right now they didn't have many more options in trying to find Daryl. He had been missing now for three days, and Davia kept insisting she felt he was still alive. There had been no contact from the group that had taken him, and Rick wouldn't admit it, but he feared the worse for his friend.

"Stay here and don't attempt to enter the village. Davia and I will go and try to talk to Ray, but I'm not expecting anything. If we don't get anything here, then we will head back to where we lost the tracks and see if we can figure it out from there. It's not much of a plan, but it is all we have right now." Zeek told Rick.

Zeek and Davia left the other three, Rick, Brad, and Bob, behind. Bob had agreed without hesitation to go along on this mission in case they did find Daryl and he was injured. His training as a medic and former MP were going to come in handy in this new world and Bob didn't want to waste his skills.

When Zeek and Davia drove into the village, Davia took a look around trying to figure out what type of people they were dealing with. It was evident that poverty and crime had over taken the village a long time before the outbreak, but that tough hard scrabble way of life also left these people with an ability to survive. She also realized that by keeping strangers out of their world, they were also protecting themselves from outside dangers. Her odds of being able to convince this Ray guy to divulge his source of illegal trade was probably next to nothing, but she prayed that if she pleaded her case honestly, he might take pity on her and give them the clues they were looking for.

No one seemed to pay them much mind as they drove to Ray's. Since Zeek was well known in the area, most of the people in the village didn't see him as a threat. Plus, he had worked with Ray different times over many years, so most people assumed they were going to work on some kind of trade.

Zeek parked his truck "Here goes nothing. Just keep in mind Davia that Ray is a hard nut to crack and I don't want you to be heartbroken if he doesn't divulge anything."

"I understand, but this is our best shot of finding my husband." She told Zeek.

Zeek and Davia went up to Ray's door and knocked. A shirtless Ray answered the door, not looking friendly or in a good mood.

"Zeek, what brings you by? Is this one of your brood?" He asked referring to Davia.

"No, we need to talk." Zeek said in a serious tone. Ray looked at the couple for a minute, and finally stepped aside allowing them to enter.

"What the fuck is this about…if it is about what you came before, I can't help you." Ray told them.

"It is about what I came before. The man that was with me last time was taken down by these assholes, and this is his wife. We don't know if he is dead or alive, but this little lass needs closure. I'm pleading with you to help us out. We've got things we can trade if that is what it takes."

"Like what?" Ray said intrigued.

"Oxycodone and Xanax, along with a shit load of booze. By the looks of your shaking hands I would guess it's been a while since you have some opiates." Zeek replied.

"What of it. I don't need that shit." Ray said stubbornly.

"You're appearance states other wise." Zeek said back.

Davia couldn't hold off another moment "Look, I'm desperate sir. Daryl and I are expecting our first child, and he has his brother's baby to raise as well. Daryl has suffered so much over the past six months, and all I want is to get my husband back. I am begging you to please understand." She pleaded.

"Why should I help you?" Ray challenged.

Adelaide, who had been listening, stepped into the conversation. "Ray, those men haven't been by here since they took the children. You saw what they did to Mikayla, and I can only imagine what they have done to little Scottie. When did we start turning our back on our own?" His mother questioned.

Ray rubbed his hands over his face. "Keep the drugs, give me three cases of booze, and I will decide if I will give you what you want."

"Thank you so much sir." Davia said, running to the man to give him a hug. He stood there stiffly, and then pulled back from her embrace.

"I said I will decide, didn't say I'd do it." He told her, trying to look hard, but Davia noticed a slight softening of his eyes.

Zeek went out and retrieved the liquor. Ray was actually impressed with the selection, since it was top-shelf liquor and not the bathtub gin they had been getting from group that had taken Daryl. "Alright you got a deal, but don't tell a fucking soul I gave you this information."

Davia nodded feverishly.

"There's an old abandoned camp just south of the Big Horn mine. That's where you'll find 'em. But listen, they got that place booby trapped, so be careful. I don't want this young lady getting hurt. I hope you find 'em and he's still alive." Ray said. If Zeek didn't know better, he would swear that the man had a soft spot for Davia.

"Thank you…you don't know how much this means." She said, reaching out and placing her hand on his shoulder. Zeek saw a glimmer of sadness in Ray's eyes, almost regret.

"Had a wife once, but I drove her away…you're man is lucky to have a woman that loves him so much. And look, if you find the boy, Scottie, bring him home and we'll make sure he is taken care of. It's about time to right a wrong that was committed." Ray said.

You could have knocked Zeek over with a feather, he had never seen Ray this reasonable. Maybe people in life do change…even old Ray.

…

Daryl hung painfully in the barn. He had long forgotten what it felt like to have feeling in his hands and upper body. As punishment for drinking the water the boy had provided for him, the men had hiked his body up off the floor, now in a much more precarious position. If he allowed his body to drop, the ropes would pull on his neck, and he would choke or suffocate. Twice he had dropped and twice he found himself gasping for air. His body was trembling uncontrollably and Daryl was certain that his heart was struggling to provide blood to his outer extremities. It had been hours since he had feeling in his feet and legs and Daryl knew his body was shutting down, trying to protect his heart. If he didn't get help soon he was pretty certain that he would die of exposure.

"Hey boy we've got a little something to take your mind off of the cold." The fat guy, Tony said sadistically.

"Fuck you, I don't want it. Just let me fucking go. I told you they wouldn't bargain with you." Daryl said, a slight disappointment in his voice.

"We ain't even contacted them yet. Gonna wait a few days until they are desperate, then we'll give 'em a bit of hope…makes 'em more willing to give in." Dave said.

"You need to let that little boy go." Daryl insisted.

"Nope, he's our property and he serves a purpose. Of course, it was a bit unfortunate what happened with his sister. She was a little less than co-operative with us. Took a little while to break her in, but Oh how she screamed. I like it when they scream. Which comes back to our original statement, we're gonna warm you up real good." Tony told him, laughing.

Shit. What were they going to do to him? Man rape him? Daryl had been through a lot, but nothing like that. Merle had given him details of shit that happened in prison, and Daryl was not going to roll over and let these fuckers have their way with him. "I ain't gonna let you have your way with me."

"What? You think we want to diddle with you? No offense, but you ain't my type. No sir, we're gonna have a lot more fun than that." Tony said, while Randall and Dave laughed, knowing what was in store.

Dave lit a fire in a barrel and Daryl thought for just a moment that they were actually working to provide him some heat, but by the maniacal looks on their faces, they were not planning on offering Daryl any comfort.

"Looks like someone used your back as a whipping post. We'd like to improve the artwork a bit. Those demons you got on shoulder need a place they might feel a little more comfortable hanging out." Dave said eyeing Daryl's scarred back.

"Fuck all of y'all. You ain't gonna break me. I got a family to get back too, and come hell or high water I will. You can try all ya want, but you ain't nothing but a bunch of want-to-be thugs, and I've dealt with a lot worse than the likes of y'all." Daryl screamed.

"We'll it seems you still got a little bit of spunk in ya boy. Let's see just how much spunk you have left after we are done with ya." Randall said.

Daryl wasn't sure what they were gonna do, and maybe taunting them was a mistake, but he refused to let them see him as weak. He was tired of acting like a pussy, and now he needed to act like the man he was.

"Should we blindfold him for this?" Randall asked.

"Yeah, makes it more fun. They don't know when it's coming and drives them mental." Tony said.

Daryl didn't have a chance to respond and the next thing he knew he had scarf wrapped around his eyes. Now he couldn't see anything and all he had was his other senses to figure out what they were up too. He could feel warmth from the corner where the fire had been started earlier and he thought that at least that was a good sign.

His glimmer of hope was quickly dashed when he heard a grunt and suddenly felt a searing pain upon his back. Tony had taken a fire poker and heated it to glowing red, then had proceeded to slam the burning iron against Daryl's bare back. The pain was unimaginable and Daryl fought with everything he had in him to not let out a scream of agonizing pain.

"That all ya got?" He managed to get out. It was a mistake, and he knew it, but he refused to let these men break his resolve.

"So you like the pain? What are you some sick bastard? There is plenty more where this came from. We're just getting warmed up." Tony bellowed, instigating laughter from Randall and Dave.

Daryl was trying hard to sense when the next blow would hit him, but being unable to see because of the blindfold, he was at a disadvantage. It didn't take long though for him to feel the second blow as the molten iron made contact with him a second time. This time he wasn't fully able to control his reaction and he let out a slight whimper, though it seemed to still disappoint the men in the room.

"Again." Dave replied.

Daryl wasn't sure how many blows they had landed upon him, and he was in tremendous pain, but he still refused to give in to the torture he was enduring. If he died, he would at least go on his own terms. Daryl Dixon wasn't a pansy, and he was going to prove just how mentally tough he could be.

When Daryl was a child and he was suffering through the beatings that Will had given him, he had developed a coping mechanism. As Will would inflict bodily injury upon his son, Daryl would allow his mind to escape to a different place, blocking out the pain that he was dealing with. Reverting back to this old mechanism, Daryl slipped out of the reality of what the trio of men was putting his physical body through.

He let his mind take over for him and the first thing he heard was Davia singing to him.

_**You'll remember me when the west wind moves**_

_**Upon the fields of barley**_

_**You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky**_

_**As we walk in fields of gold**_

_**So she took her love**_

_**For to gaze awhile**_

_**Upon the fields of barley**_

_**In his arms she fell as her hair came down**_

_**Among the fields of gold**_

Daryl pictured Davia, dressed in a white summer dress, coming across a field towards him. Her chestnut hair was blowing in the wind and her face was beautifully illuminated with the evening sun. He saw her swollen belly, carrying his child and Daryl wasn't sure he had ever seen anything quite as lovely as his wife glowing in the sunlight.

Will you stay with me, will you be my love

_**Among the fields of barley**_

_**We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky**_

_**As we lie in fields of gold**_

_**See the west wind move like a lover so**_

_**Upon the fields of barley**_

_**Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth**_

_**Among the fields of gold**_

Daryl reached out and Davia was soon in his arms. He pulled her close to him, so close he could hear her beating heart, and looked into her eyes. She looked up at him through her thick eyelashes and gave him a smile that sent electricity throughout his body. "I love you" she whispered and he was so enraptured in her at the moment that he couldn't speak. All he could do was to take her face gently into his hands and offer her a kiss. Their lips touched and he pulled her even closer to him. She parted her lips and gently ran her tongue against his bottom lip. Her kisses were like silk and honey all in one. He deepened the kiss and was rewarded with a breathy moan from his wife.

_**I never made promises lightly**_

_**And there have been some that I've broken**_

_**But I swear in the days still left**_

_**We'll walk in fields of gold**_

We'll walk in fields of gold

"I love you Davia and I will never let you go." He told her. She then reached out and cupped his face in her hands. "Forever Daryl…I'm yours."

_**Many years have passed since those summer days**_

_**Among the fields of barley**_

_**See the children run as the sun goes down**_

_**Among the fields of gold**_

_**You'll remember me when the west wind moves**_

Upon the fields of barley

_**You can tell the sun in his jealous sky**_

_**When we walked in fields of gold**_

_**When we walked in fields of gold**_

_**When we walked in fields of gold**_

This time when Daryl looked at Davia she was older, as was he. Time had been her friend and she was still as stunning to him as she had ever been. He looked around to see his children sitting near by, and his grandchildren were running around in the field. Davia had prepared a picnic and everyone was laughing and smiling. Merle was there, but only Daryl could see him.

"Baby brother, you've done good. Don't ever let any of this go. You turned out to be someone that other's can rely on, and I'm damn proud of you. Don't let anyone defeat you Daryl. You're strong and you can get through anything because you have something that is rare for a Dixon…you have Love." Merle told his baby brother.

Daryl nodded and was rewarded with his youngest granddaughter running into his arms. "Love you grampy." She said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. He could feel the tears welling in his eyes as peacefulness encompassed his body. He felt content and the feeling was increased as Davia sat down beside him in the field, holding his hand tightly.

The sun was setting and they would need to soon head back to the house. That was when he realized they were back in Blue Ridge, at his house, and the golden fields were the lands that surrounded the old homestead. He looked around and saw all his friends walking into the field. Rick was there with Michonne, and their children, all teenagers now. Carl had a wife now, and it was none other than Enid. Even Zeek and Ingrid were there, well into their senior years, but looking happy and content as were the rest of them.

Beth and Brad were there with their daughter, who looked just like Beth. Long curly white blonde hair and the biggest blue eyes Daryl had ever seen. Daryl noted that his parents were not there with them, and he had assumed that they had passed sometime earlier. He wasn't sure how old he was, but he guessed he was somewhere in his sixty's. Everyone was laughing and loving life and Daryl realized that the world had never turned into the hell that they had been living in. For once, everything was perfect.

"Baby, please don't leave me? I'm here for you now." He heard Davia say and he opened his eyes to see her looking at him with terrified eyes. It was then that he realized Davia was truly there with him and he felt horrendous pain engulfing his body.

"Davia?" He questioned.

"Shhh don't talk. We found you darling and we are going to get you out of here." She told him before the world went black and his body went limp.

…

After they found out where Daryl was being held Zeek drove them at break neck speeds to the vicinity of the old mine. For once no one complained about the man's driving and they all agreed that they couldn't get to Daryl fast enough.

Rick insisted that they park just beyond the woods in case they were expected. When they arrived at the old camp, Zeek pointed out an old cabin and a barn that was in rough shape. They could see light coming from the barn and Rick motioned that they would try there first.

Zeek, Rick, and Brad surrounded the barn while Will, Bob, and Davia waited for the all clear signal at the edge of the woods. Davia had her bat and a handgun, while Bob and Will were both armed with guns and a knife. Zeek had "borrowed" Daryl's crossbow and Rick had his Python, along with a second gun and a knife. Based on the look of the camp, and noticing there was only one vehicle, it would appear there were not many men in the camp. Davia knew they had killed three of them when she was attacked at the Lindstrom's house, so maybe there weren't that many men left.

Rick peeked in the window and his heart sunk when he saw the condition Daryl was in. They needed to get in there quick and rescue Daryl as it was obvious he needed immediate medical attention. He was hanging from his wrists and he was covered in blood and bruises, and clad only in a pair of tattered boxers. With the temperatures as cold as they were Rick just prayed that Daryl wasn't suffering from hypothermia or frostbite.

Zeek looked in the window beside Rick, and his face fell immediately upon seeing Daryl. He looked at Rick and gave a nod. On the count of three, the two men entered the barn while Brad covered the door. Zeek fired off a bolt, landing it between the eyes of the smaller of the two older men. "See why Dixon likes this thing." He said to himself.

The younger man was able to slip out the barn door as Rick quickly fired his Python and took out the fat man, spraying his brains all over the back wall of the barn. As the younger man went to make his way to the truck, Brad quickly caught him and immediately slit his throat. The young man dropped instantly and then Brad knifed him a second time, shoving the sharp metal through the base of the guy's brain, making sure he didn't resurrect any time soon.

Rick poked his head out of the barn and whistled, and Davia, Bob, and Will ran to the old building. "Bob come quick, Daryl's in bad shape." Rick yelled as he motioned for the others to run.

Davia heard Rick's pleas and her heart began to race "Take it easy darling, remember the baby." Will told her trying to get her to remain calm, but knowing full well she wouldn't be able too.

They entered the barn and the first thing Davia noticed was the God-awful smell of burnt flesh. Daryl was hanging by his wrists, which were covered in blood, and he was barely clothed. Davia ran to her husband and dropped down on her knees in front of him. She went to reach for him and Bob stopped her "Davia, don't touch him for minute. His back…" Bob couldn't even form the words to describe what had been done to Daryl.

Will kneeled down beside Davia, intent on keeping her calm while the others were attempting to figure out a way to get Daryl from the restraints. Brad mentioned that there were some blankets in the vehicle and ran out to get them. Everyone was doing everything possible to remain calm and get Daryl the medical attention he so desperately needed.

Rick took a look at what the men had done to Daryl's back and a shiver ran down his spine. "Bob, what can I do?"

"We need to find something to cut these restraints. Davia pulled down the blindfold that had crudely been placed on Daryl and she saw his eyes fluttering. At least he was still alive.

Davia spoke "Baby, please don't leave me? I'm here for you now."

His eyes opened and his face filled with recognition. "Davia" He said weakly.

"Shhh don't talk. We found you darling and we are going to get you out of here." She said to him in as gentle and loving tone as she could muster. She wanted to scream out in terror, but that wouldn't help Daryl or the current situation they were in.

Zeek found some old bolt cutters at the back of the barn and rushed to cut the bindings holding Daryl. Rick asked Davia to move so they could cut him down. "Daryl can you hear me?" Rick asked.

Daryl mumbled and gave a slight nod "We're gonna cut the restraints, but I want you to hold onto me so you don't drop to the floor, can you do that?" Rick asked him calmly.

"Yeah" he rasped "They didn't break me." He said softly to Rick.

"I know they didn't Daryl. You're injured pretty bad though, and we are gonna do our best to get you out of here as painlessly as we can." Rick said.

"Zeek, they killed him, you gotta get his body, I can take you to him…" Daryl whispered

"Zeek is just fine Daryl, they only winged him. He's here with us now." Rick told Daryl, a visible relief appeared on Daryl's face.

"Now hold on Daryl, this is gonna most likely hurt." Rick told his friend.

"Don't worry about the pain Rick, just get me home." Daryl groaned out, the last part of the sentence barely audible. Daryl knew he was injured badly, but this wasn't something he hadn't dealt with before in the past. He could fight the pain the best way he knew how, but what he wanted more than anything right now was to feel Davia's touch.

"Davia." He moaned softly.

"I'm right here baby." She said, letting him know she was close by him.

Zeek cut the restraints, and as hard as Daryl tried, he could not hold up his own body weight. Between the exhaustion, the dehydration, the cold, and his serious injuries, no one expected him to be able too. Rick caught Daryl's body as he began to slump and as quickly as possible, Zeek cut the remaining part of the restraints, freeing Daryl's body for the first time in three days.

Bob began to check Daryl's vitals and pointed out that Daryl's blood pressure was low and his body temperature was at a dangerously low temperature. "The good news is that the hypothermia has helped staunch some of the blood flow. I don't like the coloring in his hands and feet though. We'll have to keep an eye on those for signs of frostbite. Let's just hope that it's a temporary problem. I believe his left wrist is broken, but his back…" Bob stopped.

Davia had yet to look at Daryl's back and finally she mustered up enough courage to see what it was that Bob had been talking about. The sight that she saw almost caused her to cry out. There were about a dozen branding iron marks on his back. The scars that Will had left years ago were barely visible as the new damage he was subjected too covered his back and his left side. The burns were red and weepy, and she could see some of them were bad enough that they had burned through a few layers of skin, exposing tissue that Davia had never seen before. Part of her wanted to vomit at the sight, but she had to be strong for her husband.

Bob rummaged through his medical kit and pulled out some strips of cloth and some ointment. He looked at the ointment and realized it wouldn't do for what they needed. "Can someone gather up as much clean snow as possible. I want to ice down these wounds and see if we can give him some relief."

Brad had laid one of the blankets down in the floor of the barn and Zeek and Rick carefully carried Daryl over and laid him down on his stomach. Davia laid another two blankets on top of Daryl, covering him from the waist down and Rick stoked the flames in the barrel, trying desperately to raise the temperature in the old building.

Daryl was mumbling "Get the boy, he's in the cabin."

"Daryl, honey please save your strength." Davia whispered to him.

"Please Davia, there's a little boy here. His name is Scottie and he tried to save me. He thinks I'm Robin Hood. We need to get him and get him to his people." Daryl gasped out. Suddenly Davia knew whom he was talking about it was the little boy that Ray had mentioned.

"Brad, see if you can find the child in the cabin. He belongs to the village." She said. Brad nodded and ran towards the cabin to see if he could find the child.

Zeek soon returned with a bucket full of clean snow and Bob began to gently pack the ice-cold snow on Daryl's back. It wasn't the best of options, especially with Daryl being hypothermic, but they had to do something to relieve the pain that Daryl was in. Bob was amazed that Daryl wasn't crying out in agony, but it just proved to him just how tough the hunter really was.

Bob did his best to stabilize Daryl, but they all knew that they needed to get Daryl back to Milton. Bob's skills as a medic were top notch, but he didn't have much experience dealing with extreme trauma. They managed to make an emergency stretcher and placed Daryl on it as tenderly as they could. He let out a small whimper, but Davia would have felt a little better if he had let out a stream of obscenities. They dropped the back seats of the SUV down and placed Daryl in the back, with Davia and Bob flanking him. Zeek drove (Carefully this time) and Will rode in the front with Zeek. Rick and Brad took the old truck that would no longer be needed by the dead outlaws, and they decided to take Scottie back to his people.

The skies were dark and they rode back in relative silence. Bob continued to apply the cold compresses and Daryl continued to battle with consciousness. "Daryl honey, if you just want to relax you can, we'll get you back to Milton as soon as we can." She told him, hoping he would let his body relax.

"Davia…please stay with me. I didn't let those assholes break me and you kept me focused on surviving." He whispered.

"I love you sweetie, and I promise we'll get you fixed up." She told him.

"My back…it's a mess isn't it." He asked.

"Don't worry about what it looks like Daryl…I'm just more concerned about your pain right now." She told him.

"April will be having the baby in another week, I gotta get my strength back by then." He said softly.

"Don't push yourself Daryl, we'll get through this. This may take more than a week to get through." She told him.

"You know my back feels like it's on fire, but I'm freezing." He admitted to her.

"I know baby…just hang in there, we're almost to the camp." She said, trying to find a place on his body that wasn't too damaged that she could touch just so he could feel a little bit of comfort.

…

When they arrived back at the camp, everything went into a whirlwind. Milton's trauma experience came in handy. Bob, Carol, Rosita, and Milton all took Daryl back to one of the fully stocked clinic rooms and Will and Davia opted to remain out front in the clinic. Beth, Nora, and Michonne soon joined them. Zeek and Ingrid soon joined the group and Father Gabriel came down offering spiritual support. Will was the first to suggest that they have prayer for Daryl and no one offered any objections. Everyone knew Daryl had been through a traumatic ordeal and any help they could get whether it was from this world, or the spiritual world, would be needed.

"As bad of shape as he was in, he was still more worried about that little boy than he was his own well-being." Davia said.

"Davia, Daryl has a big heart, whether he will admit it or not. He most likely saved that child." Beth said reassuringly.

"He said that the little boy did everything he could to save him. Thought that Daryl was Robin Hood. When this is all over, I want to invite those people here to the camp. If Ray hadn't decided to come clean about where the men were, Daryl might no longer be with us." She said, fighting back a sob that was now caught in her throat. They all knew that they had come dangerously close to losing Daryl, and hopefully, they were able to get to him in time.

…

They waited for hours, and at close to two in the morning, Milton came out and addressed the group. He looked exhausted and he was covered in blood.

"I've got him heavily sedated so that his body can rest. We've managed to get his body temperature back up, but we are going to have to keep an eye on his fingers and toes. He's lucky he didn't die from exposure considering the conditions he was in when you found him. He was dehydrated, has a concussion, and I have him on a saline drip, along with morphine as well for the pain. I know Daryl wouldn't be too happy to be drugged up like this, but the amount of pain he was in left me no choice. I've never seen anyone in his condition not screaming out in agony. Daryl is one of the strongest men I have ever met." Milton said almost like a proud parent speaking about a child.

"Is he going to be OK?" Davia asked nervously.

"As long as we can fight of infection in the wounds, he should recover. Most of the burns were second degree burns, with one of them coming close to a third degree burn. His saving grace was it looked like they hit him quickly with the iron, and didn't let it linger on his back for extended periods of time. Had they have done that, I don't know if he would of survived. It was like they wanted to inflict the most pain on him they could, without killing him." Milton surmised.

"He kept saying they didn't break him…" Davia told Milton.

"Well they did inflict a lot of damage. I do have a question, were these the same men that took Andrea?" Milton asked.

Will spoke "They are Milton, and they won't be harming anyone else. Those men are burning in hell for all of eternity for what they have done."

Milton nodded "Good, they deserve it for what they have done. Davia, Daryl's left wrist is broken, and I believe he also has three cracked ribs on his left side. His breathing is somewhat labored, but I don't think he has a punctured lung. We will continue to monitor him for infection and fever, but he will have a long road to recovery. I want to keep him here at the clinic where I can monitor him around the clock, and if you would like, we can set up another bed in his room so someone can be with him at all times. I think when he wakes up it will be comforting for him to see a familiar face. I know you don't want to hear this, but I think it is important that you split shifts with his parents. That way you can properly take care of yourself and your pregnancy. A traumatic experience like this can have adverse effects on your unborn child if you don't take care of yourself." He told her.

"I will do as you say Milton, but please let me stay with him tonight." She begged.

"Can we see him before we leave?" Nora asked.

"You can, but he most likely won't wake up. We are lucky this wasn't even worse than it was." Milton told the group.

They all made their way into the room where Daryl was asleep. His face was bruised and there were ligature marks on his neck from the restraints. Milton and Bob had placed Daryl on his stomach so that he wouldn't have any extra pressure on his back. For now they had Daryl dressed in a hospital gown and Rosita had just changed his bandages again and Carol had applied a burn ointment.

Davia knew Daryl was going to be uncomfortable lying in this position, but she knew Milton knew what was best for her husband. She was exhausted, but felt blessed that Daryl hadn't been killed. It was going to be a long road to recovery, but she knew Daryl was strong, and he proved he still had a great desire to survive. If you were to define what a survivor was, Daryl Dixon would be the first person that came to mind for everyone that knew him.

**Whump...I've about damn near killed Daryl, but there was a reason for that. I wanted to prove that he got his bad-ass mental toughness back. He's been through hell, but he survived. We've got a baby coming soon and a few other major things on the horizon. This story had turned into a monster...**

**Hope you enjoyed it and I am BEGGING and PLEADING for some reviews, they have really dropped off lately and I'm not sure if interest has been lost in the story. I promise to take this to the end, but I'm not sure if folks have grown bored with it.**

**I want to give a shout out to bbwzoey 86, ArcheryLefty, DarylDixon'sLover, angelicedg, celia azul, and my babe SillyGabby for reviewing the last chapter. It is much appreciated.**

**Take care and have a great week. **

**Love each and eveyone of you for your support-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	43. Chapter 43

Zeek had come by to check on Davia the next morning when Daryl began to stir. His eyes opened slowly and it took him a second to realize he was lying on his stomach. His first instinct was to push himself up from the bed and when he tried to move his wife and the older man then immediately flanked him.

"Daryl don't move." Davia told him.

Everything rushed through Daryl's mind and he remembered what had happened to him. "I can't lie around in bed all day." He insisted.

"You can an you will. You aren't gonna do anyone any good if you are dead. We busted our asses to find you and you are gonna do exactly what the doc says." Zeek told him in an authoritative tone."

"I feel alright." Daryl slurred out, not really feeling much of anything.

"You probably don't feel much of anything, the Doc's got you loaded up on morphine. You aren't going anywhere, and if that means I have to tie you down again, I will." Zeek threatened, knowing the thoughts of Daryl being tied down would make him rethink his actions.

Daryl just lay there, trying to get his bearings. "I gotta piss." He said nonchalantly.

"I'll get you something." Davia said rushing out of the room. She returned with a small jug. Now they had a dilemma, how to move Daryl so he could take care of business.

"Zeek, can you help me lift him?" She asked, almost timidly.

"No, don't do this…please. I can move myself." Daryl said, in an embarrassed tone.

"Honey, you aren't taking into consideration how badly you are injured…you're back…and your wrist…" She started, and Daryl remembered the pain he had been in the night before. Right now he just felt numb. He took a look at his hands and noticed his fingers were still discolored and his left wrist was encased in a splint.

Zeek then spoke "Dixon, let your pride go and let us help you. Ain't a God damn thing to be embarrassed about. If you don't want to do this the Doc could always give ya a catheter."

Catheter? Oh hell no, Daryl had been down that road before and it was not something that he wanted to re-live.

"Fine, Just give me one shred of fucking dignity." Daryl said.

"Well I ain't holding your dick for ya if that is what you are worried about." Zeek responded back.

"You couldn't handle it" Daryl said under his breath.

"No offense guys, but we don't need a pissing contest here. Zeek just help me get Daryl up so he can sit on the edge of the bed and then I think he can handle the rest." Davia told both men.

It wasn't easy, and Daryl was in a lot more pain than he thought he would be, but Davia and Zeek managed to get him up and to the edge of the bed. Davia handed him the jug and then she and Zeek left Daryl to his privacy. It was humiliating, but it was better than a catheter and at this point there was no way he had enough strength to make it to the bathroom.

After a few minutes, Daryl called out Davia's name and she came back in the room and took care of things for him, including helping him lay back down on his stomach.

"I hate laying like this because I feel fucking exposed." He told her.

"I know Daryl, and I wish you didn't have too, but with the wounds on your back there isn't any other option." She said tenderly.

"Yeah, I figured." He said.

Zeek popped his head in the room "I'm gonna go check on the camp, I'll be back in a while to check on ya." He said, giving Davia a kiss on the cheek before he left.

As soon as Zeek left, Rosita came in to check on Daryl. She untied the hospital gown and gently began removing the bandages on his back. "Oh…this isn't good. Daryl, I need to get Milton. It looks like some of these wounds are festering already."

"Shit, infection?" He moaned.

"Yes it looks that way. How's your breathing today?" She asked.

"It kinda hurts, but that ain't anything new." Daryl told the young woman.

"Breathing shouldn't hurt Daryl. I need to lower your gown to examine you, are you OK with me doing that?" She asked.

Lowering his gown meant that Daryl would need to sit up. His back was fully exposed, but Rosita needed to examine his frontal area, including his stomach and chest. Daryl nodded in response to her question and then Davia and Rosita helped him get back up again. The pain medication was wearing off quickly and moving was becoming almost an unbearable event for Daryl, but he fought hard to not let the two women know. No wussing out, He was going to fight through this and not let himself be a burden to anyone.

"Daryl, you've got a lot of bruising in your ribs, but there is some discoloration and bruising below them as well. It could be nothing, but it also could be internal bleeding. I need to get Milton to come take a look. Do you mind sitting up for a few minutes while I get him?" She asked.

"Ain't a problem." Daryl rasped out. His voice may have sounded calm and firm, but he was moving down the path of agony at a rapid pace. He wanted to let out a yelp, but seeing Davia there beside him and the worried look on her face was enough to help keep him in check.

Milton returned within minutes and examined Daryl, paying specific attention to his bruising and the festering wounds on his back. He placed his hand on Daryl's forehead "You are feeling a bit warm Daryl. Considering your exposure to the cold and the rapid pace these wounds are festering, I want to start you on a strong antibiotic IV and increase the morphine drip."

"I'll take the antibiotic, but not the morphine. I need to be clear headed." Daryl insisted.

"Look Daryl, I understand you want clarity, but right now you are still under the influence of the pain medication, and you can barely move. Once this wears off, I'm afraid you will not be able to tolerate the intensity of the pain. Second-degree burns are the worse, and you have some that are close to third degree. Those are the ones that seem to be infected. Can I ask you please not to fight me on this?" Milton asked.

"Antibiotics only. I can manage the pain, learned how to do it a long time ago." He told the doctor. Milton let out a frustrated breath, but agreed.

"I want to keep monitoring your chest and lungs Daryl. This discoloration in your lower abdomen has me concerned. You could have a tear in your liver, stomach, or spleen that is bleeding out. It could also be subdermal bleeding as well, which is just bleeding below the skin, and not as serious. I would like to draw some blood and get a platelet count, that will help me determine what we are dealing with." The doctor told him.

"Just do what you gotta do so I can get out of here. I ain't gonna lay around and be a burden to anyone." Daryl said, in an almost angry tone.

"Daryl stop being a jerk and just listen to Milton." Davia said, a bit pissed that Daryl was being somewhat combative.

"Listen Daryl, I will do as you wish, but if you find the pain too unbearable, then I will start the morphine drip again. Can I ask why you are opposed to it? Right now we are well armed and the walls are being reinforced as we speak. You can afford to take a couple weeks off. It will be at least that long until you are healed up enough to be able to contribute again." Milton said sternly.

"A week tops, and then I'm back on duty…regardless." Daryl said.

"Well if this infection gets any worse or there is internal bleeding then it may be a month. If you push it Daryl, you could kill yourself, and then where will you be? Think about your wife and kids." Milton said, playing the only card he had left in the deck.

"I'll do what I can." Daryl sighed.

"You'll do more than that Daryl. You will do as you are told, or so help me Daryl, I will make your life a living hell." Davia threatened. Daryl looked at his wife and realized, she was deadly serious.

"Fine, y'all win."

…

Rick and Brad had opted to take Scottie back to the village before they returned to the camp. To be honest, Rick was seriously concerned about Daryl's well being and the sooner they were back at the camp, the better he would feel. As they made the trek from the old Mine back to the village Rick noticed that Scottie had taken a liking to Brad. Hell, what wasn't there to like about Brad?

Brad was a very interesting character. He was talented beyond belief, yet very humble and soft-spoken. He had a deep Mississippi accent and gentleness to him, yet when it came time to handle the group of men who took Daryl...Brad killed without hesitation. It was a fierce loyalty that Brad had that made him extremely valuable to the group. No matter what was asked of Brad, he was more than willing to help out and not complain. Too bad the same couldn't be said for pretty much the rest of the group. The only ones that didn't seem to complain about work were Daryl, Davia, Hershel, and The Lindstrom's. And Unfortunately for Rick, his ex-wife was the biggest pain in the ass of all.

Hershel had mentioned to Rick that Brad had been a complete gentlemen through and through when it came to Beth, and he had overheard Beth venting her "physical frustrations" to Maggie. As angry as Beth was about it, Hershel actually thought it quite humorous. Now was Hershel thinking that his daughter and Brad would never have a physical relationship…No, but he was impressed that Brad was managing to still "Do right" by his daughter. In this day and age Hershel knew there wouldn't be any big wedding or official ceremony before the eyes of God, but that didn't mean that everyone should commence to "rutting" like wild animals. Hershel was just as old fashioned when it came to relationships as Will. Hard to believe that the two men used to be the Wild boys of Blue Ridge.

Rick was interrupted from his thoughts when he heard Scottie talking to Brad "Will I ever get to see Robin Hood again?" The young boy asked curiously.

"Well to be honest with you, He's not really Robin Hood, but he is just as tough and just as good of a man. His name is Daryl and he is one of the leaders in our camp." Brad told the child.

"Is he going to…live?" Scottie asked hesitantly.

Brad shifted in his seat at the question, after seeing the severe burns on Daryl's back, and finding the man literally hanging by a thread for his life, Brad wasn't sure if Daryl could survive. The one thing he did know was that Daryl was one tough Son of a Bitch, and even though he may have wanted to check out the other night, when it came right down to it Daryl would fight for Davia, his children, and hell…the whole damn camp for the most part.

"Daryl will be just fine, he's tough and strong, but he just might not be at full power for a little while. He told us you saved his life, and that makes you one brave young man." Brad said to the child.

"You think I'm brave?" Scottie asked in a very child like voice.

"I do…and a survivor too. You're people are going to be so happy to have you back." Brad assured him.

"I wish I could stay with you…you're nice." Scottie said to Brad.

"I'm sure you will be just fine. Adelaide and Ray both have mentioned wanting you to stay with them." Rick told the child.

"Really…Mr. Ray wants me to stay with him? He's our leader." Scottie said excitedly.

"Really Scottie, they want to take care of you and make sure you are safe." Rick reiterated to the boy.

They drove the remaining distance with Scottie continuing to chat about Daryl and the men who had taken him. It appeared that other than neglect, the men had pretty much left the boy alone. He talked about how much he had missed his sister, and the fact that his parents had passed away right after the outbreak hit. His sister was left to care for him, until the men had taken them both in a deal with Ray, and then his sister was killed. Fortunately Scottie wasn't quite old enough to understand the details of what specifically had happened to her.

When they came within sight of the Village, it was obvious something wasn't quite right. The front gate was open and there were a few vehicles in the ditch outside the camp. As they came nearer, Rick noticed that there were swarms of walkers around the vehicles outside the gate.

"This doesn't look good." Brad said to Rick.

Rick drove through the gate and was not prepared for the carnage that they were seeing. There were bodies littered everywhere, and many of the villagers had already turned into walkers. The gore was overwhelming and the first thing Brad did was pull Scottie into his lap. "Don't look outside Scottie. There isn't anything left to see." He said in as soothing of a voice as he could.

Rick continued to maneuver the vehicle through the small town and it was obvious that it was a total loss. He stopped the car and let out a frustrated breath.

"This can't be good. I'm not sure if this was man-made or just a natural build up of a herd, but this concerns me regarding our camp. We are not prepared for another large attack. We are still repairing the walls from the attack last week." Rick said.

"Rick, let's just head back and do what needs to be done. I know with Daryl down we are a little short handed right now, but I think everyone will work extra hard if they know there is an imminent threat." Brad told Rick.

"When does this stop?" Rick questioned.

"Wish I could answer that Rick. Scottie, how would you feel about staying with my Beth and me? I know we ain't your real parents, but we would be real honored if you would let us take care of you." Brad said as kindly as he could to the little boy.

"Does that mean that Mr. Ray and Adelaide don't want me?" He asked, his little lip quivering. This poor child was only seven and had already lost so much.

"No, they wanted to take care of you, but it looks like God had other plans for them Scottie and they won't be able too. But Beth and I would love to take care of you, and I think you will like staying with us. Beth is some kind of pretty and she can cook. And to top of all that, she's as sweet as sugar candy." Brad said, praising his woman.

"And you promise I won't have to leave you?" Scottie asked nervously.

"I promise little man, we'll take care of you and we'll never let you go. Will that work?" Brad asked the boy.

"I think it will. Thanks Mr. Brad." The little boy said as he climbed up in Brad's lap and wrapped his arms around the mans neck. Brad couldn't fight the smile that came to his face. It seemed that this was the perfect role for this Southern gentleman.

…

When Rick and Brad returned to camp the first thing that Rick did was stop by the infirmary to check on Daryl's condition. Milton filled him in on the details and told him for the time being they had Daryl sedated and he was resting. After that Rick called a meeting and explained what they had found at the village. He then reiterated the importance of getting the walls back up in working order and cleaning out that ditches that surrounded the wall. Hopefully with the men who had been wreaking havoc on them gone, that meant that they would only be dealing with natural progressions of the undead.

Weary, and with a lot on his mind, Rick made it back to his cabin to check on things. He grabbed a quick shower and was greeted by Michonne when he exited the bathroom.

"You doing OK? You look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders." She told him.

"I've gotta head out and help reinforce the walls. Was everything OK while I was gone?" He asked.

"Nothing happened if that is what you are asking. When they returned with Daryl last night a lot of folks were concerned about his well being, but not everyone. Your ex-wife kept spouting off that they should have just left him…said he most likely would die and turn, and that put us all in danger. Needless to say, I was less than thrilled to her running her mouth, but I kept mine shut. Anything I say to her will be misconstrued because of the relationship between you and me." Michonne told him.

"Lori is becoming a serious problem…if she wasn't pregnant I'm not sure I would have allowed her to come with us." Rick admitted.

"Rick, what are you going to do when she has the baby. For one, we don't know if it's yours or Shane's…and secondly, She is going to be like an anchor on you…weighing you down at every turn in life." Michonne said, frustration evident in her voice.

"If it's my baby, I will do everything I can to take care of it…If it's Shane's child it is still Carl's sister or brother, and I will help anyway I can. It's not the baby's fault." He said in a matter of fact voice.

"Rick, there is one other thing. She came by here today…sweet as pie, and brought this." Michonne told him, lifting a casserole out of the makeshift icebox.

"She cooked something? Shit." Rick said.

"Rick, I think she is making a play to get you back. If I have something to worry about, would you let me know? I know you and Lori have a history together, and I know feelings don't go away over night. I can't compete with the woman who has bore your child, and is possibly having a second child of yours. If you want to cut ties, let me know now before I fall even deeper in love with you." Michonne said in a confident voice, but if you listened close you could hear the uncertainty in her tone.

"Well, Lori only cooks when she wants something and I think you might be right. She's desperate right now, and with Shane gone, she needs someone to take care of her. I'm not falling for it Michonne…I care too deeply for you." Rick told her.

"So what are you going to do?" Michonne asked.

"Talk to her, it's all I can do. But for now, I'm going to help get the fence back up and make sure the camp is secure. Are you interested in helping?" Rick asked her.

"Oh Rick…you are such a sweet talker…I swear it sounds like a date." She teased.

"Well come on then, I don't want to disappoint." He replied as he led her out of the cabin towards the front gate where work was already in full swing.

…

Davia sat and watched Daryl try to sleep. Milton had run a test on Daryl's platelet count, and said his levels were a little low, but not in the danger zone, and told them he would check the levels again at the end of the day and see if they were dropping.

Daryl was in a lot of pain, and even though he was doing everything he could to push it down, he wasn't having a lot of success. Laying on his stomach was difficult, and his wrist was now throbbing something awful. He needed rest desperately, but he still refused to allow Milton to give him any pain meds.

"Davia, why don't you go back to the cabin and get some decent rest. You look exhausted and you need to take care of yourself and the baby." Daryl rasped out to his wife.

"I'm not leaving you Daryl. Please let Milton give you something so you can rest. You remember what happened the last time you went without sleep, and I don't want a repeat of that." She whispered.

"Ain't gonna happen again Davia, I swear to ya that. I don't want to take any pain meds because they make my brain cloudy. I can't risk that right now, I'm already operating at a reduced capacity. We never know when we are going to have to run or defend ourselves and I need to be ready just in case." He told her.

"But Daryl, you've practically got third degree burns on your back, broken ribs, and a broken wrist, how on earth could you defend anything?" She asked.

Daryl sighed "If it comes to defending you or the camp then I will find a way. I need you to bring me a handgun and my knife though. I won't be able to use the crossbow until my wrist heals up, but I can shoot and stab without a problem if I have too."

"You promised me this would stop Daryl." She said, tears bursting out of her eyes. Davia was tired, scared, and hormonal and she couldn't understand why Daryl wouldn't just rest.

"Baby, please don't cry. I don't want you to be upset. Come here…" He beckoned to her.

Davia made her way to Daryl and he reached up and wiped the tears from her face. "Three days. I'll let Milton administer the pain meds for that long. After that, I wanna leave this place and go back to the cabin. I'll take it easy, but I can't lay here." He told her.

It was a compromise but it was better than nothing. Davia finally relaxed and smiled. "Thank you." She whispered.

"I'd do anything to make you happy Davia. Just promise me something…While I'm here resting will you go back to the cabin and let Ingrid take care of you? You don't need to be here watching over me. That's Milton's job. I'm a big boy and I can rest on my own." He told her.

"OK, I will take care of myself, but I'm going to keep checking in on you. I'll rest in our bed, but right now, you are my number one concern." She told him.

"That will work. Go get Milton and tell him the plan. Maybe you can sing me something before he knocks me out. I miss your voice. You know, when they had me in the barn and they had began to beat and burn me, I slipped away mentally to a place in my mind. It was something I learned to do when I was a kid and Will was beating me. It was beautiful Davia, and you were there with our kids, and all of our friends. You sang that song "Fields of Gold" to me once, and that was what I heard. This life…it ain't forever, we will be happy again, and get to live…but we have to make it through this storm." Daryl admitted to her. He was offering words of encouragement as best he knew how.

"I believe you Daryl. This is just a temporary situation, and I feel that deep down in my bones." She replied.

"Yep it is babe. We will get back to Georgia one day, and back in our home just like the way it was always supposed to be." Daryl assured her.

Davia left and retrieved Milton, who was more than happy to administer the pain medication to Daryl. Carol had come in and changed Daryl's bandages and then applied burn ointment to his back. It was a strange solution that felt like ice, but it helped immensely with the burning and throbbing. After she was done it left Daryl and Davia alone again. She moved closer to him and began singing softly to him, and within moments he was finally asleep. Davia couldn't help but smile, she had gone to battle with the mighty Daryl Dixon, and she had won.

…

During the three days that Daryl was out of it, the camp functioned around him. Davia had visited with April each day to check on her, knowing the time for her to deliver the baby was near. April's sickness was ravaging her body, and she looked like a human skeleton. Will or Gabriel stayed with her at all times, making sure she was as comfortable as possible, but they all knew it was a matter of time. They just prayed she would make it to the point that she could give birth, and that the baby would survive.

Zeek had been getting antsy behind the walls, and had taken Carl, Benny, and Duane out with him on a hunting trip. With the number of people in the camp, they needed more meat, and with it being late winter, meat wasn't that easy to find. Luckily, out on their adventure they spotted a few moose, and after careful guidance, Benny actually bagged the huge animal. The preppy kid had already started shedding some of his boyish appearance since they had arrived in Alaska a few months earlier. His hair was growing shaggy like his brothers, and Zeek could see that he was finally growing facial hair. Instead of giving off the appearance of a fourteen-year-old boy, Benny now looked closer to seventeen or eighteen. The rugged life was giving the kid a more mature look, but Benny actually seemed to thrive.

Zeek had seen Benny change into a more respectful kid too. He had spent a lot of time with his second youngest daughter Eliza, and even though at first when Benny actually asked permission to date her, he had been apprehensive, but he was less so now. Benny acted appropriate, and that was all Zeek could ask.

When they brought Daryl back from being taken, Nora and Cesar had to fight to get him to leave his brother's side those first few hours. Benny knew what it was like to be taken by those men, but it didn't turn out half as bad for Benny as it did for Daryl, and for some reason, that made Benny feel guilty. Though he was just getting to know his older brother, he admired Daryl's strength and toughness. Even when Daryl had his mental break the other week, Benny knew how that desperate pain felt, as he himself had considered opting out as he was living under the thumb of his maniac father.

His father…that was one loose end that Benny wanted to tie up. He despised the man, and though it was unlikely, he hoped one day he would be the one that would put a bullet in his head. The man was beyond evil, and Benny was certain his father had something to do with the entire state of the world as it was now. He knew Philip Blake, and this was right up his father's alley.

…

Scottie had taken to Beth and Brad like a duck to water. He had moved into their lives so smoothly that he asked if he could call them Mommy and Daddy, and of course they both agreed. Hershel was becoming a doting Grandpa to the child, and Scottie loved every minute of it. The hard life of growing up in the village and then being taken by the vagrants was quickly becoming a distant memory. It had been less than a week since Scottie had become part of their lives, but he fit in as if he had been with them since his birth.

T-dog had volunteered to move out of the cabin so the family could adjust properly. He was becoming close with Zeek's daughter Corrine, and had decided to move into the bunk house where he could spend more time with her, as well as help with keeping a protective eye on Zeek's girls as well. Zeek liked T-dog, and Ingrid adored him. Living in Alaska in such a secluded place, it often made relationships difficult and hard to establish, but it seemed that the Lindstrom's had hit the gold mine with the joining of the camp. Relationships were forming and these were good sturdy people that were getting along. The only people in the camp that Zeek and Ingrid were weary of were Lori, Karen, and occasionally Carol, but she even seemed to be coming around as her close friendship with Dale seemed to be grounding her.

One afternoon Beth and Brad were surprised at a knock at the door. Beth had just prepared lunch for Scottie, who had been asking if he could visit Daryl. She had told him as soon as Daryl was a little bit stronger they would take him to the hunter. While Beth was explaining this to Scottie, Brad answered the door to see Sophia standing there, smiling.

"Sophia, what a surprise, come inside darling." Brad told her.

"I was wondering if I could baby sit Scottie for you? I'm old enough now, and I want to get practice." She told them.

Beth looked at Brad, and for once he was lost for words. "I tell you what Sophia, how about now? Brad and I have wanted to get out and check on some things in the barn, and I think Scottie would love your company. Right Scottie?" She said.

"Cool, can we play?" He asked Sophia.

Sophia's blue eyes lit up "Sure…whatever you want to do."

Brad and Beth smiled at each other and soon had gathered their coats and were headed towards the barn, hand in hand with smiles on their faces.

…

Daryl was in the process of waking up from his morphine-induced rest. As requested, it was three days and Milton had agreed to discontinue the pain medication. Daryl only remembered getting up a few times to relieve himself, and he remembered Davia being there some of the time, but not all of the time. His parents had been there at different times and he vaguely remembered Will and Nora being there together. One time he woke up he actually thought he heard them laughing together, but he wasn't sure if it was a dream. Benny and Zeek had stopped by briefly, and he recalled them mentioning something about Benny killing a moose, but he wasn't sure when that had happened. Daryl hated that everything was hazy, but he had to admit, his pain levels were manageable at the moment. Most likely, it was because he still had some pain medication in his system, but whatever it was, he felt better.

"Daryl, you're awake. Let me get the doctor." Nora said.

"Mom, hey you don't have to stay here…I don't want to put you out." He whispered in a croaky voice.

"Stop it Daryl, I want to be here with you. Milton said your wounds were beginning to heal and that your risk of infection was diminishing. Davia has been here many times, and your father and brother too. Benny has been beside himself with worry." Nora told him.

"I ain't worth all the worrying, folks should be worrying about keeping the camp safe, not an old man in here sleeping." He said trying to ease his mother's concern.

"Daryl whether you want to admit it or not, people do care about you…no, they love you. I know things were hard for you coming up, and I know you didn't get a lot of the love and guidance you deserved, but it's time you realize you are worth a lot to everyone here, and you have two parents and a wife who adore you." Nora went to her son, who was now blushing, and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"I appreciate that." Daryl said shyly.

Milton came and checked on Daryl and asked him questions regarding his pain levels. He was healing nicely and the three days of rest did him wonders. Daryl said his pain level was a four on scale of one to ten and that he could manage without meds. Milton warned him that he still had some medication in his system, and the pain might increase, but for now they wouldn't give him anything else. That seemed to please Daryl.

"Would you mind sending someone to get Davia…I'd really like to see her." Daryl asked.

"Rosita is heading off of her shift, I'll have her stop by and notify Davia you are awake. She stayed here with you quite a bit while you slept, but she did manage to get back to her own bed to rest. They are planning on a feast tonight in the main lodge, and if you feel up to it and can take it easy, I will allow you to attend." Milton told him.

"Does that mean I can move back to my own place?" He asked.

"I don't see why not, but you are to absolutely take it easy. I will give Davia instructions and I want you to promise me you will do as I say. This could have gone badly Daryl, but you once again have amazed me and seem to be on the mend." Milton admitted.

"Good doctors seem to be able to work miracles for me. This ain't the first time you've saved me, but I pray it's the last. I hate being a burden." Daryl confessed.

"Then take it easy and stop trying to play the super hero. The good news is that the outsiders have been dealt with and we now have the walls of the camp secure. Things are becoming routine and everyone is thriving. A lot of that is because of you Daryl, but its time to step back and spread the burden amongst the group." Milton lectured.

Daryl waved his hands in a surrendering motion and Nora added, "I agree with Milton."

…

Rosita had come by to tell Davia that Daryl had woken up and was asking for her. She felt terrible that she hadn't been there with her husband, but she knew his mother was there with him, and everyone had insisted that she rest. She was dealing with morning sickness again and Ingrid had been making sure she ate healthy and kept a good supply of ginger tea on hand for her nausea.

Davia pulled on her coat, grabbed a change of clothes for Daryl, and was heading towards the clinic when she heard cries coming from the barn. She un-holstered her gun and made her way towards the building, hearing the cries louder as she got closer. Very carefully she unlatched the barn door and stepped inside to investigate what she was hearing.

Unfortunately, it soon became one of the most awkward moments of her life. Beth and Brad were caught in the throws of passion atop of some hay in the corner of the barn. When Davia tried to leave unnoticed, she accidentally kicked a pale, alerting the young lovers to her presence.

Beth and Brad looked like a couple of deer in headlights. Neither of them knew exactly what to do…but based on the glow on Beth's face, and the sweat dripping from the both of them, Davia figured they would recover quick enough.

"Sorry" Davia said as she ran out of the barn, her face flushed red, but giggles were escaping her at the present moment. Looks like Beth would be in a good mood from now on and that Brad finally succumbed to the little blonde's seduction.

Davia finally made it to the clinic and Daryl noticed how flushed she looked. "You OK?" He asked.

Davia burst out in laughter "Yeah, I'm fine, I just caught two chickens in the barn going at it, and their names were Beth and Brad." She joked.

"Really, he finally gave in? Good for them." Daryl said.

"I guess with Scottie being with them has been good for their relationship." Davia told him.

"What? Why is Scottie here?" Daryl asked confused by what Davia had just told him.

"When Rick and Brad took Scottie back to the village, it had been decimated. Somehow an attack had happened and no one survived. Brad volunteered to take care of Scottie, and I don't think he or Beth could be happier. Hershel has gone into full Grandpa mode, and I wouldn't be surprised if Maggie and Glenn decide to conceive sometime soon." Davia replied.

"It's becoming a regular baby ward around here." Daryl said.

"Well, we can't let civilization end just because the world has gone to shit. Babies are the future." She told him.

"Speaking of babies, April is bound to be due sometime here in the next few days, and we need a name." He told her.

"Have you thought of anything?" She asked.

"I like the name Katerina, especially with her being born in Alaska." Daryl said, not sure if Davia would like the name or not. Merle had actually mentioned it to him in a dream, and it kind of stuck with him.

"I like it too Daryl, and for the middle name, I was thinking Meryl…a female version of Merle's name. She can carry her father's name with her in honor of him. What do you think?"

"Katerina Meryl Dixon…I like it. Let's keep it to ourselves until after she is born. Everything else about this birth has been shared with everyone, why not have just this one little thing to ourselves." He told her.

"I love it. And you know what…I love you Daryl Dixon. You are looking much better." She told him.

"Yeah, I can actually sit up and not feel like I'm in total agony. Doc said there was a dinner tonight and I can attend, and he said I could go to the cabin as well. You don't know how bad I want to be back in OUR bed." He admitted.

"You don't know how bad I want you back in our bed. You just need to promise me that you will take it easy until you get your strength back." Davia said.

"I think everyone feels just like you. I have had my mom and Milton tell me the same thing, and I expect Rick, my Dad, and Zeek will give me the same lecture. I will do my best to let other people take up my slack, but I'm not promising anything. You know me Davia, I gotta keep busy." Daryl said.

"I know sweetie, but you have two little ones to think about now Daryl, and I can't raise them on my own." She pleaded.

"I understand Davia, and I will make an effort to keep that in mind. I guess I am guilty of thinking that if I can prevent something from happening, then I can keep you and everyone else safe. The problem is there are a lot of us and one of me. So yeah, I won't take on any burdens alone…unless I absolutely have too." He conceded.

"I'll take that." Davia said. She then handed him the clothes she had brought for him. "Get dressed Mr. Dixon so I can take you home to our bed."

Daryl got dressed, and insisted on walking to the cabin. It was a slow walk, but he loved the feel of being up and outside in the fresh air. Daryl hated convalescing, but knew he had too so he could get back to being normal. Fortunately, he wasn't having any PTSD about being held against his will, and he was focused on healing, and getting ready for the baby.

They had a couple of hours before they would head over to the lodge to eat with the group, and Davia walked him into the cabin and sent him straight to bed. He wanted to be up and about, but he was just too tired to argue. His energy levels were low, and he couldn't wait to regain his strength. While he had been out of it, Ingrid and Davia had set up the baby crib and a small dressing table in their room. Daryl could hardly believe that the little crib would be occupied in the next few days, and he prayed that the baby would be healthy.

The two women had also stocked the cabinets with formula and had stored up supplies of baby blankets, clothes, wipes, and diapers. Diapers were going to be a challenge for Daryl, as he had never been around a baby or had any experience changing them. He made a note to get Davia to show him how to do it, but he would be sure that he asked when it was just the two of them. He assumed Zeek might have had plenty of experience with diaper changes as well, but Daryl was too embarrassed to let the man know he didn't know how.

Daryl slipped off into a dreamless nap and Davia lay down beside him, holding his uninjured hand. The circulation had returned to his extremities and his fingers and toes had returned to a healthy color of pink. Daryl ribs were still bruised, and he would occasionally wince if he moved to quick, but he tolerated it. Davia knew it wasn't the first time he had serious injuries, but she prayed it was the last time. Daryl's body was aging beyond his thirty-six years, and she wanted to keep him around a lot longer.

…

Daryl awoke from his nap and he and Davia made their way to the main lodge. Everyone was in a jovial mood and even Rick had a relaxed look on his face. The entire group was there except for Tara and Liesel who were on patrol, and Lori, who feigned a headache. With Lori's absence, they all seemed to relax a lot easier.

Daryl wasn't seated two minutes before Scottie had run up to him and attempted to jump in his lap to give his hero a hug. Fortunately, Beth grabbed him mid leap and caught him.

"Scottie sweetheart, you need to be careful with Daryl. He's still healing up and you don't want to hurt him." She said. The little boy nodded.

"Sorry." He said.

"It's OK little man. I never got the chance to thank you for saving me. If it hadn't been for you, I would have probably died of dehydration." Daryl told him.

"You are welcome Mr. Daryl. I'm sorry that they hurt you, but I'm glad you are back. I like it here, and I love my new mommy and daddy." He told Daryl.

"That makes me happy to hear buddy. When I get better and we get a chance, I will see if I can find you a bow like mine, just a little smaller so you can handle it, and I will teach you how to use it. You are one tough little boy." Daryl told him.

Scottie was smiling ear to ear "You think I'm tough?"

"Uh huh, and brave too. I know full-grown men that wouldn't do what you did. You are a survivor Scottie, and I'm proud to have you as my friend. Good to know you have my back." Daryl said.

Scotties face couldn't have shone any brighter "Are we friends?" He asked.

"We are more than that Scottie, we are comrades. I will never be able to thank you for what you did, but you made it so I can get back to my wife and my family, and now you are part of that family. We all stick together, and that includes you too." Daryl replied.

"Thanks Mr. Daryl. I'm going to see Sophia, she is my new friend." He told Daryl.

"You do that Scottie, and I'm glad you are happy with your new parents, they are happy too." He told him. He then looked at Beth as she wiped away a tear.

"Daryl, you are a good man. I'm so glad you are back with us." She told him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks princess…but I think you might want to save that kissing for lover boy over there…that is if he has any energy left. I have to admit, you got a pretty big smile on the pretty face of yours, anything you care to share?" Daryl teased.

"Oh…Um…No…Davia told you huh?" She said, flushing red.

"Told me what Beth? Is there something I should know?" Daryl continued.

"Shut up Daryl, its not like we haven't all heard you and Davia in the throws of passion." She said, deflecting the awkwardness of the conversation. Daryl just let out a hearty laugh, and it felt good to let loose.

The alcohol and food was flowing freely for once, and the group was enjoying the fellowship and the festivities. Daryl refrained from drinking, other than a beer he had been nursing for the past hour. It was well past its refreshing coldness, and he would periodically sip it.

Dale had been tweaking the radio and he found a broadcast on short wave radio. The group all sat down and listened to the news report.

"_**This is Dean Allen reporting from the true United States of America. As Philip Blake continues his attempts of instilling his dictatorship on the entire country, we stand firm in our efforts to protect what is ours. Currently there is fighting on the front lines that start mid-state North Carolina and extend out towards Tennessee. Blake continues his stronghold on all of Northern America, while the Southern Half stands strong against the regime. The Southern Forces are desperate for any assistance that they can find, and we are pleading with anyone who fled early on in the outbreak to consider returning home and standing up for our cause. If you are trapped behind enemy lines in the northern portion of the United States, there are still active military strongholds fighting to help defend this nation. Anchorage Alaska is one such place, as is Southern California, and Fargo, North Dakota. If you can get to these bases, arrangement will be made to return you to the Southern US, where you will be needed. **_

_**So far, we can report that the Virus has claimed sixty percent of the Northern Forces, but they still out number us down here in the South where the estimates are that forty percent of the all individuals have been effected. As we know, there isn't a known cure, and the only way to prevent the dead from rising is to cause damage to the brain, but we still are holding out for a miracle that can save those of us that are left as well as future generations. **_

_**It has been reported that Philip Blake has put out a bulleting stating that he would reward anyone who can return his wife and son to him unharmed. Thus, making Nora and Benton Blake a highly sought after prize. As I sit here today reporting this story, I ask all of you to stand by Ms.'s Blake's Decision to leave her husband and to get her son to safety. As Blake enjoys his time in the White House with his adopted daughter Penny, there have been reports that the girl is actually his daughter biologically, and conceived in an affair with a college student some years ago. Unfortunately, the co-ed was found murdered shortly after delivering the child, and her remains were cremated, not allowing DNA tests to be performed to prove or disprove paternity. If these reports are true, then we know that Ms. Blake is in danger, as is their son. If you see them, contact one of the US Military personnel and they will help to get Ms. Blake and her son to safety. **_

_**Hold strong my fellow Americans. We can Prevail against this monster, and restore this Great Nation to it's former glory. God Bless, and we will update you again tomorrow evening at this time."**_

Rick was the first to speak "Nora, you and Benny are in danger. Now that there is more or less a price on your head, people will be looking for you."

Cesar replied "She's fine. Blake has no idea she is here in Alaska. If she stays here no one will find her. Right now we just need to stay put."

"I think Rick's right though, if someone finds out she is here, not only will they go after her and Benny, they will kill the rest of us." Daryl said.

"Stop worrying…all of you. He has no idea I'm here, and there isn't any way he could find out. The only way he could find out is if someone in this camp notified him, and that isn't going to happen. Cesar and I trust everyone here, and I will be fine. If he suspected I was here he would have already been here looking for me. Philip hates to lose, and this is driving him crazy. Our best bet is that the Southern Forces hold strong and defeat Philip. He will make a mistake…he always does. When he lets the power go to his head, he gets cocky, and that will be his downfall." Nora said.

"Well if I ever see him I will put a bullet between his eyes." Benny said in a matter of fact tone.

"Not if I beat ya to it." Daryl replied, backing up his young brother.

…

Daryl and Davia had settled in for the night. Daryl had Davia wrapped in his arms and the two of them listened to the wind howling outside. It appeared that they were getting yet another winter storm. They could hear Zeek and Ingrid talking quietly in the main room of the house, and Davia had turned on the back up heat sources so that Daryl wouldn't get a chill. The last thing he needed was to get sick while his body was trying hard to heal up.

They were just nodding off when there was a pounding on the front door. Davia startled and Daryl's first reaction was to grab his gun, forgetting that his wrist was in a cast and unable to function normally. Both of them were beaten to answering the door when Zeek pulled the door open to find a frantic Dale on the porch.

"What's going on Dale." Zeek asked.

"I just notified Rick and he sent me here to warn you all…I found Karen's body in the main lodge tonight. Her throat had been slit. Your daughters are beside themselves in fear and we don't know what happened." Dale said, panting out of breath.

Zeek pulled on his boots and coat and ran to the lodge to check on his girls. The room was full of chaos as Rick was trying to figure out what had happened. Sure enough, Karen's throat was slit and she had bled out. How did this happen without anyone hearing anything. Yeah, they had all enjoyed themselves at dinner tonight and the alcohol had been flowing, but the majority of the occupants in the main lodge were under age or non-drinkers. Who ever did this had experience in acting covert.

"Dale, is there anything out of the ordinary with the radio?" Rick asked the older man.

"It would appear that someone was trying to broadcast, but it could have been Karen. We periodically send out a CQ message to see if we can find information. It doesn't divulge anything about our location though. The only way that could happen now a days is if someone directly gives out our co-ordinates, but I don't think anyone here would do that." Dale said.

"What about Carol? You two have become quite chummy Dale, have you considered the fact she might have ulterior motives?" Rick asked.

"She wouldn't…and we are strictly friends, coping through this ordeal together. There isn't any way it could be her." Dale said adamantly.

"Right now, it could be anyone, but Carol has expressed regret in coming here, and maybe she was making contact with someone on the outside and Karen walked in on her unexpectedly. It's certainly a possibility." Rick said.

By now others in the group had gathered in the main lodge. Milton then spoke "Except for the fact that Carol is at the clinic preparing April for surgery. Will contacted me about an hour ago and we have been working to get April to the clinic so she can give birth. I was on my way to the Dixon cabin to let them know before I start."

"The baby is coming now, in this storm?" Rick asked.

"April can't hold out any longer, she has hours at the most and we have to take the baby. If someone can get Daryl and Davia, I need to return to get the surgery started." Milton said.

Rick let out a frustrated sigh, they had a murder on their hands that most likely was committed on the inside, and now the baby was coming, and Daryl could barely hold himself up. The thoughts didn't last long though when an irate Tyreese stormed through the doors making a beeline for Rick. Anger in his voice.

"What the FUCK happened to my Karen? I NEED ANSWERS NOW!" He screamed as he dropped to his knees in disbelief that Karen was lying there in a pool of her own blood.

"Tyreese I need for you to calm down so I can think." Rick said in an authoritative tone.

Apparently Tyreese wasn't a fan, as he stood up and grabbed Rick by the collars of his shirt. Rick took offense at the action, and the next thing everyone knew was Zeek was pulling Rick off of Tyreese. Though Tyreese was a bigger man than Rick, Rick had a fury inside of him that was unleashed by Tyreese's actions. It was terrifying to see Rick snap like that and Zeek continued to struggle with Rick, until Michonne showed up and snapped Rick out of his rage.

"Everyone take a breath and let's figure out what happened here." She said, offering a voice of reason.

**OK, I wanted to include the baby's birth in this chapter, but it was getting too long, and I missed a week updating and was eager to get this out. So next chapter starts with April having the baby.**

**Not sure if I was a fan of this chapter...there wasn't a lot of action. **

**So here is the deal...I probably have less than ten chapters left in this story, and then it will end. I plan on writing a sequel. I have a poll up on my page and I want to know which of my stories you want me to update next. So please, take the time and by the time I get to the end of this story, the story with the most votes will get the next story. **

**Also, If you haven't checked out my previous stories, feel free to do so. **

**Thanks for all of you who read and took the time to review the last chapter...**

**smilejul**

**JeanF**

**Pantherbabe4ever**

**Zerohazai**

**salice89**

**SillyGabby (love ya dear)**

**SkyeJ**

**Celia Azul**

**Archery Lefty**

**angilicedg**

**Daryl Dixon's lover**

**I love and appreciate each and everyone of you and your kind words. **

**Just out of curiosity, what did everyone think about Fear the walking dead? I think it has potential, and I am sure that baby Johnny Depp will be the new heart throb. LOL.**

**Take care and enjoy-**

**Love ya-**

**Missy XXOO**


	44. Chapter 44

**This is a much shorter chapter than most...but you will see why.**

Daryl could barely hold himself up and now the calm in the camp was a distant memory. First it was the abrupt visit from Dale letting them know that something horrific had happened to Karen. Zeek and Ingrid rushed out the door without a thought when they had heard that their daughters had been upset. Daryl immediately attempted to pull on his boots to head over to the Main lodge, but Davia firmly told him he wasn't in any shape to get involved at this moment. She assured him Rick would let him know what was going on, and he needed to put his health first.

Daryl was feeling guilty and a bit antsy about the whole situation and not being able to help out. Davia was finally able to help him get settled back into bed when Rosita knocked at the cabin door and informed them that April had taken a turn for the worse and the Milton would be delivering the baby within the hour.

This time he and Davia threw on some clothes and she helped him make his way over to the medical clinic. It was a slow haul, but Daryl wasn't really capable of moving at a rapid pace. Hell, he was lucky to still be in the land of the living, and stronger men had succumbed to what he had been put through. He pushed down the unspoken agony as they arrived at the clinic. Within the hour their lives would be completely different, and they would be taking on the role of parents.

Will, Nora, and Benny met them at the clinic. "Good y'all are here. Milton was awaiting on your arrival before he started." Will told them. Daryl noticed that he and Nora looked like nervous grandparents already.

"You coming in" Daryl asked as he entered the room Rosita had pointed too.

"No, Milton said that with delivering a preemie that the fewer in the room the better. He's got Bob, Rosita, Carol, and you two, that should be plenty." Will said.

"We'll keep you posted then. I don't imagine it takes too long for a C-section." Daryl said. He looked over at Davia, noticing she was quiet, and looked nervous.

"We'll be fine son. I'm going to do what I do best, and that's pray. Nora and Benny will keep me company, but let us know as soon as you can. We are all anxious to welcome the newest Dixon into the world." Will said giving Daryl a pat on the shoulder.

Daryl nodded and then he led Davia into the room. "You ready for this?" He asked her.

"Gotta be. I just pray the baby is healthy…with April's condition deteriorating so badly anything could happen." She told him.

"Little girl is a Dixon, that means she's a fighter. I believe with all my heart that Merle is up there somewhere looking over her." Daryl confided in Davia.

"You do realize that April's probably not going to see another sunrise." She told Daryl.

"I know, and before she passes, I want her to know just how much this means to us. She has sacrificed her life for this baby…and if you told me back a few months that April was capable of doing such a thing, I wouldn't have believed ya, but here we are. I just hope that she doesn't suffer any longer. This has got to be hard on her." Daryl said.

"Daryl, you really are a good and caring man. I love you." Davia told him.

"I ain't no different than anyone else." He replied.

"You are, but you just don't realize it." Davia assured him.

Daryl grunted and turned his attention to Milton "What can we do?"

Milton led the two back out of the room so he could speak to them in private. "If you two could help comfort and keep April calm it will be extremely helpful. She is terrified and that is completely understandable considering her condition. After we deliver the baby she isn't going to have much time left, but if possible, I'd appreciate if we made what little time she has left as comfortable as it can be."

Daryl had never been a comforter, but it always seemed so natural to Davia. He looked to his wife and she nodded and then spoke "We can do that Milton. We owe her our gratitude." Daryl nodded in affirmation and the three of them entered the room again.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion for Daryl. Milton had put up a curtain so that April couldn't see what was being done to her. He had administered an Epidural so she wouldn't feel anything, and then Daryl watched as Milton made the incision and very carefully removed the baby from her womb.

He couldn't believe how small the little girl was and there was a brief scare at first when they couldn't get the infant to make a noise. Thoughts of the dead babies at the hospital ran through Daryl's mind and he was praying like he never had before that the child would draw a breath. He couldn't fathom the idea of putting the child down. This was his brother's legacy…left for him to raise as his own. It was April who began to panic first.

Weakly she said in an almost begging tone "What's wrong…why isn't she crying?"

Milton ignored her question and was barking commands at Rosita and Carol while Bob was in the process of sewing April back up. Daryl could sense the panic and rushed over to the baby. He took the tiny infant's hand into his and quietly said, "Breathe baby girl…please breathe."

It was if he willed himself into the child and suddenly the room was filled with wails of a crying baby. Daryl didn't think he had ever heard anything so joyful in his life. He looked at Milton and the others and could see a sense of relief. Daryl also felt that relief and realized he had tears streaming down his cheeks. He looked to his wife and she had the exact same reaction. Their baby girl was alive and breathing.

Carol weighed and measured the baby and announced she weighed in at four pounds and two ounces and was eighteen inches long. None of that made any type of sense to Daryl, as babies were a completely new experience to him. Carol could see the confusion on his face and she smiled "Daryl, all things considered, she is a healthy little girl. She is breathing and her vitals are good and she has a good body temperature. She may not even need the incubator, but we will let Milton make that call."

Daryl felt the weight of the world being lifted off of him and Davia had to catch him from dropping to his knees. "Honey, why don't you sit down. You are still weak and I know this has been exhausting for you." She told him. He agreed and Davia pulled up a chair beside the ailing April for Daryl to sit down in.

"Have you two picked a name for the child?" Milton asked.

Davia smiled and responded "We have, Katerina Meryl Dixon."

Rosita wrote the name down and told them she would make up a birth certificate for the child. "You never know…things could return to normal one day, and you will have this to prove her birth. Just because the world has gone to hell doesn't mean we can't stop recording history."

Carol finished up cleaning the child and then swaddled her in a blanket and walked over to Davia "Here you go momma…your baby girl." Davia felt almost guilty when she accepted the child. It was April that had made the sacrifice of carrying the baby as long as she could…and it was April who was the child's birth mother.

Davia spoke "April, why don't you hold her first…after all if it hadn't been for you none of this would be happening."

April looked at Davia weakly "No Davia, you should be the first to hold her, you're her momma."

"Are you sure?" Davia asked hesitantly.

"I am." April said giving her a smile. Carol handed the baby to Davia and as if it was an involuntary reaction, she began to cry. This little miracle in her arms was now her responsibility to love and raise and Davia was overjoyed. She began to rock the small child and place gentle kisses on the baby's face. After a few minutes she looked to Daryl "You're turn daddy."

Daryl's heart stopped for a moment. He had never held a baby in his entire life. In fact the only small thing he had ever held was a puppy. That experience ended with Will jerking the puppy away from Daryl and snapping it's neck, traumatizing the six year old Daryl. Shaking the memory from his head he nervously reached up and allowed Davia to place the child in his arms. He was stiff at first, but after some coaxing from Davia, he began to relax and look at his brother's little girl…now his little girl to raise.

"You are a sweet little thing ain't ya." Daryl whispered to the child. He took in her appearance and felt a lump form in his throat. She had tufts of curly blonde hair, just like Merle did when he was a child. Her nose was like a little button, and she had the bluest eyes he had ever seen, but he knew all babies had blue eyes. Her skin was pink and healthy looking, and her lips were like little roses. He counted her fingers and toes, and couldn't believe how strong she was when he offered her his finger. She wrapped her tiny fingers around it and squeezed. Daryl looked up at April, unable to hide his smile.

"She's perfect." He said and Davia nodded in agreement. Daryl didn't want to relinquish the baby, but he looked at April and knew she was fading fast.

"April, are you up to holding your little girl?" He asked.

"Please" She whispered. "But she's your little girl, not mine. God used me as a vessel, but you're her parents."

Daryl gently handed the baby to April, who then pulled the child to her chest. "She looks just like Merle. No denying she's a Dixon. Strong like a Dixon too." She said.

"April, we will never be able to thank you for what you have given us." Davia said.

"Yes you will, raise her up right…and if she asks, just tell her that her mother loved her. I know you don't have too, but if you could keep her from knowing all the bad things I did, it would be nice." She said.

"April, as far as I'm concerned all the bad you did is in the past, and you have a clean slate." Daryl told her.

"That means so much Daryl." April said, tears streaming down her cheek. Carol came into the room and told them she needed to take the baby so Milton could give her a more thorough examination. April held onto the baby just a minute more, and then, with the help of Davia, they handed the baby to Carol.

April reached out her hands towards Daryl and Davia, and they each took one into their hold. "You know, I hated you both so much...mostly because I blamed you for taking Merle from me, but I know better now. Daryl your father has been a blessing to me, and Gabriel too…but both of you…I love you both for what you have done for me…and for Merle. Everything in life happens for a reason, and I know now that God put you both in my life because he knew I wouldn't be here to take care of the baby. I will leave this world knowing that my child will be cared for and loved…and I thank you for that." She whispered.

"Shhh April, save your strength. You're the hero today, not us." Daryl said.

"We're all hero's Daryl…in this world just surviving is an act of courage, and you are one of the bravest men I have ever met. I underestimated your strength Daryl, but Merle knew you were strong. He would be so proud to see what you are doing here. I think I'm most excited to see him again when I leave here." She rasped. Her breathing was becoming labored and she was becoming paler by the moment. Daryl noticed her lips were beginning to turn cyanotic and knew it wouldn't be long.

"You want me to get Milton?" Daryl asked.

"No…just let me close my eyes and feel the strength from both of you. Knowing I'm not alone here at the end makes it worth it." She said.

They sat there comforting her as she drew her last breath. The last thing she said was "Merle honey…are you ready for me again?" And with those words April's grip on their hands slackened and April's body grew still. Davia let out a small sob and Daryl pulled her too him, releasing both of their hands from April's expired corpse.

Daryl led Davia out of the room and out to the waiting area where his parents, Benny, and now Father Gabriel were waiting. "April's gone." Daryl said solemnly.

"I'll take care of it son…you stay here with your mother. We can't wait to see the new baby and I don't want you to have to deal with the ugly part of this while we celebrate a beautiful life. Father, if you don't mind I would like you to come with me so we can give April a proper blessing."

"Yes brother. She is in the Lord's arms now and at peace." Gabriel told them.

The two men left and Daryl and Davia were now sitting with Nora and Benny. Daryl was going into detail about how perfect the tiny child was to his mother. They heard a door open and Rosita stepped out.

"Is everything OK?" Daryl asked quickly.

"It's perfect Daryl. Would you like to introduce your mother to her new Grandchild?" Daryl quickly got up from where he was sitting and met Rosita as she entered the room to retrieve the baby. It was amazing how a life-changing event like this made him briefly forget about his pain and weakness. He already had figured out a way to handle the baby with his wrist in a cast, and took the baby from Rosita with much more ease the second time.

While Daryl was getting the baby, Will and Gabriel had made it back to Nora and the others. Daryl walked out of the room and held up the baby for everyone to see "I'd like to introduce y'all to Katerina Meryl Dixon." He said proudly.

Immediately the Grandparents rushed to take in the sight of their granddaughter. Nora was cooing at the baby and Will was crying. The little girl stretched in Daryl's arms and he instinctively pulled her closer to his chest.

"She's so tiny." Will said.

"Yeah, but Doc said she's healthy. She'll need to be here for a few days so she can be monitored, but Milton said she don't even need to be in an incubator. Said it was a miracle. Look's like all that praying you've been doing did some good." Daryl admitted.

"She's a strong one…definitely has Dixon blood." Will said.

"And she's definitely got Merle's curly blond hair. She looks just like he did when he was born." Nora said reaching for the baby. Daryl handed the girl to her mother and moved beside Davia.

"It feels weird." Davia told him.

"Yeah, it kind of does, but you know what…if feels good too. She's the most important thing for now, and in another few months, we're gonna go through this again. It's scary ain't it." Daryl said.

"Terrifying…but we can handle it." Davia assured him.

"How are ya feeling?" Daryl asked.

"I should be asking you the same thing." She replied.

"I'm exhausted, hurting, and happy all at the same time. I know she needs to be here at the clinic for a while, but I don't want to leave her." Daryl confessed.

"I know what you mean, but I have always heard it's best to take advantage of someone caring for the baby in the very beginning, because we won't have this opportunity much longer. I still don't have everything ready at the cabin, and you still need to rest. These few days will be good. Trust me, I'll be here every chance I get, and I know you will too, but it gives us time to get everything ready at the house." She told him.

"You're right…as usual. What time is it?" He asked her.

"Four in the morning." She told him.

He remembered Davia mentioning that April probably wouldn't survive the next sunrise, and sadly, she was right. They would bury April later in the day in the growing cemetery just beyond the walls. Already the ground held Andrea, Jacqui, Shane, Vienna, and soon Karen and April. And they couldn't forget that they had lost Amy and Irma on the way to Alaska. So much loss in such a short period of time, but there were good things too. Miraculously April had managed to deliver a healthy child that would know nothing but love. And Beth had met and fell in love with a good man who cherished her, and they would raise up Scotty in a loving environment as well.

Michonne and Rick had found each other, and Carl thought the world of Michonne as well. Even his own parents seemed to have buried the past, and were now close friends. Of course, being married and having two children together would forever keep you connected, but Daryl sensed it was more. He now had a brother that he didn't know existed a year ago, and even though Benny liked to teeter on the edge, he was still a good kid.

And then there was Zeek and Ingrid. Daryl loved and respected Rick like a brother, but Zeek was like the father he always dreamed of having. Zeek was strong, and caring, and most of all he was a fair man. Tough in a fight, but tender with his wife and daughters. He grieved when he lost his daughter, but he remained strong for his wife and remaining six girls. He had survival skills and a no-bullshit attitude, and that was what Daryl admired the most about the giant of a man. Not to take away anything from Will, but Will had done things to Daryl in the past that, even though he forgave, he would never forget. Daryl didn't have that past with Zeek, and it was refreshing.

And sweet Ingrid...She had taken over as a surrogate mother to Davia. Poor Davia had never really known love or family, but Ingrid had seamlessly stepped into the role, and Daryl could see the empowerment that Ingrid was giving her. Daryl knew that if something happened to him, Zeek and Ingrid would be there to take care of Davia, and now his daughter. His precious little Katerina. He would make sure she never knew what it was like not to be loved, and she would be protected and cared for at all costs. Even if Daryl had to sacrifice himself for the precious little girl, he would do so without blinking an eye. It truly was love at first sight.

Daryl was startled by his thoughts as Rosita told them it was time to feed the baby. Nora relinquished the child to Davia, and Davia and Daryl carried the little girl into the nursery. Both Will and Nora admitted they were worn out and they would be back to check on the child in the morning, and Daryl gave his mother a gentle kiss, and his father a handshake with his good hand.

That just left the two of them at the clinic with their daughter and the medical staff. Carol showed Davia how to hold the bottle and Daryl sat down beside her and watched. At this moment, Daryl hadn't ever seen anything so beautiful as his wife and daughter…bonding. Davia was giving the child her first bit of nourishment, and Davia slipped into singing a lullaby. It was soft and sweet, and to Daryl it was what Angels had to sound like. In spite of his physical condition, this was the happiest moment of his life…and he knew he had more to come.

**I solely wanted this chapter to be about the birth of the baby...so no fireworks or anything. Probably a little too fluffy...but babies are fluffy anyhow LOL.**

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you think...we will definitely have action in the next chappie. We are building up to a huge event (well at least I think it is).**

**Also as a reminder- I have a poll up that I would love for you to respond too, I'm not sure what story to continue after this one. This one will be coming to an end shortly, and then I'm not sure if you want me to re-visit my older stories, or continue on with this Epic one. I will let you choose for me. **

**Take care and for those of you in the states- Happy Labor Day.**

**Hugs and Kisses (and please leave a review)**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	45. Chapter 45

The next week had been a whirlwind for Davia and Daryl. Davia had spent all of her free time fighting nausea from morning sickness, and getting a crash course of Baby 101 from Ingrid. Her OCD had kicked in and she had scrubbed the cabin from top to bottom. Ingrid had explained to her how to prepare baby formula, and Daryl and Zeek had set up the baby crib in Daryl and Davia's bedroom. It was exhilarating for Davia to know she was now a mother, and that in a few months she was going to be a Mommy times two.

As thrilled as she was with their new child, she still was worried about Daryl. He seemed to be recovering slower than normal, and she was concerned that he was hurting much more than he was letting on. She had seen the wounds on his back each time she applied the medication for him and they looked excruciating. The burns were scabbing over, and they were an angry crimson. A few of them oozed and Davia caught Daryl wincing several times a day, yet he still said nothing. He was strong, and it killed her that he was enduring this misery on his own. Twice a day she would apply the topical burn ointment that Milton had prescribed for him and each time Daryl would stiffen up and hold his breath, but he never once complained. She knew he was doing it for her, but just once she wished he would cry out.

Daryl knew he was far from being at one hundred percent. Davia would go to the clinic each morning and spend time with the baby, then she would return to get the cabin "in order". Daryl couldn't believe the extent that Davia was going so that the home was in pristine shape for the baby. When she would return he would slowly make his way to the clinic to spend time with the child. Rosita had found an old rocking chair and placed it in the nursery for Davia and Daryl to use when they came to visit the baby. Milton had said she was remarkably healthy and strong and Daryl felt a burst of pride every time Milton mentioned it. Little Katerina was a Dixon through and through.

One morning, Rosita had come down to the clinic to take over for Carol so that she could spend some time with Sophia. Carol had been through a roller coaster emotionally, and it seemed for now, that the older woman had finally got her shit together. Of course, whether Carol wanted to admit it or not, her relationship with Dale seemed to be the catalyst for returning Carol's sanity. After Carol left Rosita entered the nursery to check on the tiny patient, and was surprised to find Daryl there with his daughter. Daryl was sound asleep in the rocking chair clinging to his baby girl. The sight took Rosita's breath away. It was in that moment that Rosita admitted to herself that she was jealous of Davia.

Daryl was rugged, handsome, and an emotional powder keg. He showed all the classic signs of a child that had been abused, and yet he still stood strong and had an innate sense to protect. At times, Daryl was a total hard ass, bordering on the being a complete jerk, yet other times, like this one, he was as gentle and caring as any man could possibly be. Rosita was envious of what Davia had in Daryl. To say Rosita's relationship with Abraham was complicated would be an understatement.

Abe had lost his wife and children four years earlier in an accident of questionable nature. He could never prove it, but he confided in Rosita that he felt it was directly involved with his covert government activities, specifically linked to one Philip Blake. Abe had been working a case that involved illegal weapons and all roads lead indirectly to Blake. Abe was at a point where he began to put pressure on his superiors to investigate Blake, and shortly thereafter, his wife's car was found in the Potomac River, his children still strapped in their seatbelts. The investigation revealed brake failure, as a result of corroded brake lines. That however, made no sense to Abe since the car was brand new and brake lines don't just corrode. The case was closed, and Abe was moved to a different division within a month.

The Blake case was buried at that point, but Abe never stopped investigating. He spent his spare time searching, trying to find the direct link that could put Blake away. It was about two years ago when he met Morgan, his assistant Rosita, and Tara…all of them focused on the same task. Blake's covert activities were beginning to come to light, and the four-some worked diligently trying to find a way to bring Blake down. At every turn they failed, it was as if no one wanted to give them the time to listen to their facts, or people were just too scared to act. When it became apparent that Blake was going to pull a coup on the government, with little obstruction, Abe and the others made plans for Alaska. That was how they all ended up here.

Rosita and Abe crossed the line of professionalism while making plans to leave the lower forty-eight, and had been together ever since. As much as Rosita adored Abraham, he still wouldn't let her close enough to get to really know him. She realized he still loved his ex-wife, and that he still grieved for the loss of his family, but it didn't make it easier. Though Rosita was in a relationship with Abe, she was still lonely. But Rosita had morals and boundaries, and as attracted as she was to Daryl, she would never cross that line.

Daryl must have sensed her presence, because she saw him move and his eyes slowly open. "Shit" he whispered "Didn't mean to fall asleep. I could have hurt her."

"No she's fine. You would have felt her move, and I know for a fact that a hunter like you has super human senses." She joked.

"It's gonna be a while before I am out hunting." He said looking down at his broken wrist.

"How have you been feeling Daryl? If this had been 'before' you would still be in a burn unit at a hospital somewhere." She told him.

"These things are itching like crazy, and every time I move it feels like my back is going to rip in half. Just don't tell Davia." He replied.

Rosita sighed "First of all Daryl, I'm sure Davia knows you are still bothered by your wounds, hell, everyone knows it. Why don't you feed the little one and then I will take a look at your back."

Daryl paused for a moment, because he hated people to see his back, even though he knew Rosita had seen it. The wounds that had been placed there were gruesome to say the least, and he noticed that the scars his father had left twenty years earlier were no longer visible with the second set of scars on top of them. He was sure there was some sort of symbolism there, but it didn't make it seem any better. Daryl contemplated her offer, and simply nodded.

Rosita prepared the bottle of formula and handed it to Daryl. He took it from her and cradled the baby into his arm with the cast, hoping that the hard plaster wasn't uncomfortable for her. When he shifted Katerina, she began to whimper and Rosita realized Daryl's dilemma. "Hold on Daryl, I've got an idea." She went and found a thick towel and folded it over and then placed it against the cast. Daryl was then able to maneuver the baby so that she was still resting comfortably in the crook of his arm, but the cast wasn't poking her.

"You're pretty good with this stuff, you ever want kids?" He asked, in an uncharacteristically Daryl like manner.

"I don't think it's in the cards for me. Abe isn't interested in a family, and well…it's not like this is an ideal place to raise them." She said sadly.

"Never thought I'd have a family, and then I met Davia. Everything has moved lightening fast since that day, and now I'm not only raising my brother's child, I've got another one on the way. It ain't an ideal situation, but it's just gonna have to work." He said in a determined manner.

"I admire your determination Daryl. Where were you when I was single." She said, suddenly regretting that she had made the statement out loud.

"Girl, you wouldn't want someone like me. I ain't got no game or charm. A pretty gal like you would have been more taken with my brother. He was older, and a hellcat, but he could really charm the ladies when he wanted too. I would have liked to have seen him with someone like you. You probably could have tamed him." Daryl confessed.

"What was his relationship with April like?" Rosita asked.

"Drug fueled and nothing but trouble." Daryl confided in her. And then he spent the next thirty minutes telling Rosita all about Merle Dixon, and the demons that haunted him. The amazing thing was that Rosita listened and seemed to hang on every word he said. It was an odd feeling for Daryl, but Rosita made him feel comfortable, and there were very few females that could do that to him.

After he was done talking Rosita stood up "Why don't we get your daughter down for a nap and I'll check you out." She said, giggling at how the statement came out.

"Hey now…you can look at my back, but the rest of me belongs to another woman." He teased back.

"I know Daryl, I know. You deserve this happiness, and you deserve Davia. I hope one day to have what the two of you have…I'm just not sure I'll find it with Abe." She confessed.

"Well, if not with him, you'll find it with someone else. This camp ain't forever, and one day you'll meet the man you deserve. If Abe don't make you happy, then you shouldn't stay with him. A girl like you shouldn't ever have to worry if someone cares for her." He told her.

Rosita gave him a smile and then gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Daryl, you don't know how much I needed to hear that."

Daryl blushed at the attention, but managed a simple "It wasn't anything no one else wouldn't say."

"Yeah, it was." She told him.

…

The next few months were a whirlwind. After Daryl and Davia brought the baby home, their life was in a total upheaval. Ingrid explained the importance of getting the baby on a regular schedule, and it took about a week for the two of them to figure it out. They finally settled on alternating nights with getting up with little Katerina, and Daryl had finally learned now to change diapers and fix a bottle of formula. He literally could do both in his sleep now.

He was healing, but he knew his shoulder and arm would never be as strong as they once were. He had to adjust the draw on his crossbow, which meant he now had to re-learn how to shoot regain his accuracy. There were mornings that he ached, but he would take one look at Davia and his daughter, and it seemed to quell the pain.

Davia was close to five months pregnant now, and she was showing. Her morning sickness seemed to have subsided, and her body weight evened out. On this particular morning Daryl had been blessed to feel his child move in her womb for the first time. Milton had told them that he had the ability to perform an ultra sound with some of the equipment they had brought from Georgia, and they had agreed that next morning they would bring Katerina in for a check up and let him take a look at their unborn baby. If everything went as planned, they would know the sex of the child as well.

Their daily routine had developed with Davia getting up and preparing breakfast, while Daryl would feed and change the baby. Then she would take the child and either strap her in a baby carrier, or carry her in a body sling to the greenhouses for the rest of the morning. While Davia had the baby, Daryl would go out and hunt or help out around the camp. He had taken a step back from some of his duties since his abduction, and made an effort to spend more time with Davia.

Daryl still loved to hunt, and he would go out with either Zeek or Will, or sometimes both men. With the weather now much warmer, the game was plentiful, and their biggest concern was running across a mama grizzly bear. Once they found themselves in the vicinity of a bear and her cubs, but they managed to leave without being noticed. Daryl was shocked at how big the bear in Alaska were when you were up close, and he knew that he didn't want to ever tangle with the animals. In Georgia he had spotted a few black bears while out hunting, but they weren't normally aggressive, and bear meat wasn't exactly something he was fond of. He had eaten it a few times, and just thought it was a bit too gamy for his liking. That being said, if they had a chance to take down a Grizzly, he would be the first to act, but Zeek had told him that with the walkers in the area, taking down a Grizzly wouldn't be a good idea. It would take a long time to field dress the animal, and a silent weapon such as a crossbow wasn't the best choice to take down such a large animal.

While Daryl had been injured, Zeek had taken to using Daryl's bow as a method for silent hunting. He himself never had owned one, and now he was dead set on getting one. Daryl had carried a Stryker, and Zeek wanted one in the worse way. Will used to be accurate with a bow years earlier, but with him getting on up in years and dealing with arthritis it made the crossbow less than practical for him to use. Daryl promised Zeek that if they were out on a run and came across one, he would be sure to pick it up for him. He also was looking for a small bow for Scottie, who wanted to learn how to use the bow as well. It seemed everyone in the camp was suffering from "bow envy."

Normally Daryl would return around lunchtime from his hunts and Daryl would take over the parenting from Davia. It allowed her time to rest or just have a moment to herself. She was already paranoid about the swell of her belly and was frustrated at the fact that for the first time in her life she was able to lose weight, and now everyone wanted her to gain weight. Daryl and Ingrid both stayed after her and made sure she ate regularly.

Daryl had returned to camp with Zeek and his father and Will asked if he could drop by later and see the baby. Daryl agreed and told him that Nora would be coming over as well. Daryl thought he caught a smile on his father's face, but when he looked at his dad again, the smile was replaced with Will's normal facial features. Daryl suspected there were some underlying feelings his parent's still shared for each other, but he had hoped that neither would act on them. Cesar was a good man, and he deeply cared for his mother as well as Benny and had taken good care of them both. His mother deserved happiness, and Daryl was convinced that no matter how hard they tried, his parents would never be able to get over what had happened in the past, and would end up resenting each other in the end.

Daryl walked up the front porch and found Davia preparing lunch and Benny sitting at the table, holding Katerina. She was giggling as he bobbed her up and down on his lap. Uncle Benny loved his niece, and Daryl had been shocked the first time he had returned from a hunt to find his younger brother keeping Davia company and helping her out with the baby.

"Hey" Daryl said as he walked into the cabin. He set his crossbow down in the corner and moved over to give Davia a kiss on the cheek. "Whatcha making? It smells good." He told her.

"Lunch is just going to be biscuits with sausage gravy and sliced tomatoes." She said smiling.

"Tomatoes? Fresh tomatoes?" He inquired.

"Yes. We were able to begin harvesting them today. They are beautiful" She told Daryl as she turned around and held them up for his inspection. Daryl's mouth watered at the idea of having fresh vegetables.

"In the next few weeks we should begin harvesting cucumbers, squash, lettuce, Brussel Sprouts, and onions as well. When the ground is completely thawed, we will begin to plant larger crops such as wheat and corn. I think this is going to work out well." She informed them.

Benny and Daryl both looked at Davia and said in unison "Brussel Sprouts? Gross."

"Hush both of you, my brussel sprouts are to die for." She promised.

"Yeah, you keep believing that. Ain't never had a brussel sprout I liked." He told her.

"We'll see Daryl." She laughed.

"My parents are coming by to see the baby tonight." Daryl informed her.

"Why don't you see if they want to join us for dinner. Benny, you and Cesar can come as well. Ingrid gave me a couple of rabbits and I was going to prepare it with brown rice and vegetables. Ingrid said that brown rice is better for me than the white rice."

"Davia, anything you make is good." Benny said, giving her a smile that wasn't missed by Daryl. It wasn't the first time he noticed Benny looking at Davia like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. He could tell the kid had a crush on her, and to be honest, he could understand why.

"Benny, you are such a silver tongued devil. Is that why every time I see you with Eliza she can't keep her eyes off of you?" Davia asked him.

Benny blushed "She's alright. I wish she could sing like you do."

"How do you know she can't? I haven't sung in a while Benny." Davia said sadly.

"I've heard you around, and it sounds cool. You should do a concert for us one night. Carl and I found an old piano in the storage room in the main lodge. I bet they had a few honky tonk parties here back when it was an old fish camp." Benny told her.

Daryl lit up when Benny mentioned it. "You know Davia, you should. Beth and Brad too. We could use a night of celebration. Hershel mentioned slaughtering a pig, and we could have a good ole fashioned pig picking. Everyone in the camp could use a party."

"Maybe…I'm not sure everyone wants to see a fat lady sing." She mused.

"You aren't fat Davia, you're beautiful." Benny gushed out without thinking.

"Aw Benny, you're sweet. Why don't you go and see if your mom and Cesar want to join us, and we can have dinner tonight." She told him, hinting that it was time for him to go. He nodded and handed the baby back to her mother.

Ingrid and Zeek had moved back to the main lodge after Karen had been murdered. Zeek didn't want to risk something happening to his daughters while he wasn't there. Ingrid still came by a few times a day, and on the occasions where Daryl had night watch, Ingrid would stay with Davia "just in case".

That meant that the Dixon's had a place to themselves, and Daryl and Davia were able to sneak in some private time. Daryl had never found Davia more stunning then he did now, and his libido had certainly returned since his recovery. There had been more than a few passionate nights in the past month, and Daryl didn't think he could get enough of Davia. Davia's hormones had left her with an insatiable sexual appetite, and the two of them seemed like rabbits. It was their way of getting as close to each other as they possibly could, and it seemed like when they made love, they were operating as one soul, not two.

"So are you nervous about finding out what we are having tomorrow?" Davia asked.

"Nope. As long as everything is healthy, that's all that matters." Daryl said as he heaped a large helping of biscuits and gravy on his plate, and then took a few slices of the fresh tomatoes.

"I agree with you, though a little boy would be nice. One of each would feel complete. You could used some testosterone around here to balance out the place." She teased.

"I ain't got no problems with girls either. Zeek seems like he's done alright holding onto his man card while raising seven daughters." Daryl replied.

"You really think a lot of him don't ya?" She asked.

"I do. He's like the father I always wanted. I feel guilty for saying that, but it's true."

"Look at it this way Daryl, you've been blessed with two father figures in your life these days, and Rick is like a brother. Not to mention that you have a younger brother who idolizes you." She told him.

"Speaking of Benny, I think he's got a crush on you." Daryl said, smiling at her.

"Yeah, I gathered that. It's flattering, but he does a good job of playing it off. He's got eyes for Eliza. He's just scared to completely show his hand to her. That, and the fact he knows if he crosses the line he will pull the wrath of Zeek down on him."

"That would be enough to keep me in line. You definitely don't want to fuck up with Zeek. Even T-dog walks carefully around the man, and Corrine is of age." Daryl laughed.

"Ingrid loves T-dog, and I think she would love to see the two of them get married and start a family one day, but it's too soon now."

"Yeah, because we didn't move fast at all, did we?" Daryl joked.

"OK, good point. Who knows, maybe we will be planning a wedding for them in the near future." Davia said.

Daryl looked at her "Do you regret that we never really had a wedding?"

"No, I didn't need a ceremony to know how committed we are to each other. I love you with all my heart Daryl, and I know you love me too, so I didn't need a wedding to prove that love." She told him.

"Yeah, but you're a girl, and aren't girls supposed to live for all that shit?" He asked her.

"Daryl, I can't believe I ever met someone and fell in love, to me, that's enough." She replied. Daryl knew she was telling the truth, but a part of him felt like she had been robbed of her moment of glory. If there was ever an opportunity for him to give her a proper wedding, he would make sure it happened.

Daryl and Davia were startled by a knock at the door. Daryl got up to answer the door and found Rick standing out on the porch, his face was beet red and he looked like he could actually kill someone.

"What's wrong?" Daryl asked immediately.

"Lori." He said in the most miserable voice that Daryl had ever heard him use.

"What the fuck has she done now?" Daryl asked.

"She's raided the supplies and had taken almost all of the baby formula. I was able to retrieve most of it and return it to the shelves, but she is insisting that Davia is using everything up and that there won't be anything for her baby. She took the diapers and wipes as well. Carl came and found me and told me what she was doing. We ended up having a huge argument and she made more than a few disparaging remarks about Michonne, Davia, and you as well as me. She's out of control." Rick said, the stress evident on her face.

"I'll go down there and set her straight if you want me too." Daryl told Rick.

"No, she's so close to having the baby that she'd probably going into labor just at the sight of you. She did this right before she delivered Carl. I believe she broke every dish we had and locked me out of the house. Ironically, after she had Carl she was then became the complete opposite. She was content and happy, probably the happiest I ever saw her." Rick confessed.

"Maybe she should see Milton and he might be able to help her out." Daryl suggested.

"Possibly. She took off crying and I decided to just let her go. She isn't going to be any good to anyone right now. I just wanted to stop by and let you know there is a crazy woman on the loose. Now I need to go warn Michonne. I'm not sure if Lori runs into her she will be civil, and I know it wouldn't take much for Michonne to knock her on her ass. The only good thing is that Michonne knows what it's like to be pregnant and said she had more than one rage filled event during her term." Rick informed him.

"Shit, you don't think Davia is going to turn out like that in the last trimester do ya?" Daryl said, actually concerned.

"I doubt it, Davia doesn't have a mean bone in her body. But if she does, You can have Carl's room if you need a place to hide out." Rick said giving Daryl a clap on the shoulder. Daryl just looked at Rick like he had grown a second head.

"You're serious aren't ya?" He said to the former sheriff.

"More than you know. We men need to start a support group. There isn't anything worse than a hormonal woman." Rick joked.

"Well to be honest, right now it ain't so bad." Daryl said, hoping Rick got his meaning.

"Ah…well that keeps up during the entire pregnancy. The problem is at the end they are crying one minute, and then seducing you the next. Good Luck with all this Daryl. Just keep an eye out for Lori." Rick said, not letting Daryl respond.

"Shit" Daryl thought to himself "Should I be scared?"

…

Lori knew she had totally freaked out and over-reacted. That's why she fled. After realizing she had made a fool out of herself, she couldn't face Rick another moment. She now found herself sitting on a log at one of the more desolate places in the camp, hands over her face, sobbing like a teenage girl.

"Ma'am, are you OK?" Lori heard a voice and looked up to see none other than Eugene standing in front of her.

"Other than being a complete bitch who can't act rationally, I'm fine." She said to the strange man with a mullet.

"I know it's not my place, but you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Its been my understanding that women in your condition are prone to hormonal outbursts that are outside the realm of your control." He said, trying to offer some words of encouragement. One thing was for certain and that was that Eugene had absolutely no skills when it came to interacting with women. Daryl even had more charisma than Eugene did.

Lori let out something between a sob and a laugh. "Yeah, I've been told that before."

"Do you mind if I take a seat beside you?" He asked.

"Are you feeling brave or something?" Lori asked.

"No ma'am, I'm actually scared shitless, but I think you could use someone to talk to at this moment and the way I see it, there aren't too many people around in this camp that haven't alienated." Eugene said to her.

"It's that obvious?" She asked.

"I may or may not have been a witness to a few of your…heated conversations with others in the camp. Especially your estranged husband and the Dixon clan." He admitted.

"You know, you may not believe this, but I don't hate Daryl and Davia. To be honest, I envy them. They have everything I ever dreamed of having. I thought Shane was going to rescue me from my mundane life with Rick, but all he did was remind me of what I threw away. And by then, Rick wanted no part of me. He loves Michonne, I can see it, and if this baby turns out to be his, I know they will do everything in their power to raise the child without me." Lori confessed.

"Ma'am, I've seen Mr. Grimes, and I know he can be a tough son-of-a-bitch, but I also know he is fair. I think he realizes the benefits of a child being involved with his mother. I wouldn't fear him taking the baby from ya, unless you go and do something stupid." Eugene stated.

Lori then laughed "You really think that's true?"

"Absolutely ma'am." Eugene told her.

"Eugene, what are you doing for dinner tonight? If you stop by, I think I can throw something together. I didn't think it was possible, but I have truly enjoyed your company." She said, giving him a genuine smile.

"I would be honored to join you ma'am." He said.

"Ok, well come by around seven. And Eugene, you can call me Lori." She said as he stood up and helped her up off the log they were sitting on.

…

Dinner had been a nice affair for Davia and Daryl. Cesar had bowed out after he had been asked to fill in for guard duty. Rick had originally been scheduled, but after his argument with Lori, he had developed a migraine and Michonne asked Cesar if he would mind filling in for the sheriff. Cesar had obliged, and then Benny had been invited (with Carl) to have dinner with the Lindstrom's.

Daryl and his father had taken to cleaning kitchen after eating dinner, and Davia had started a pot of coffee to serve with her Peach crumble she had made for dessert. Daryl had to be careful not to over eat or he was going to gain so much weight he wouldn't be able to keep up with his active lifestyle. Davia could cook better than anyone he had ever met, maybe with the exception of Ingrid, and it was a luxury he didn't think he would ever be able to give up. After growing up and not knowing where your next meal would come from, and then living as a bachelor for so long, Daryl had pretty much learned to tolerate shitty cooking. But now, after Davia, he couldn't ever go back.

Daryl motioned for his father to join him out on the porch so he could grab a cigarette. Davia had been on him about quitting, but she knew he would occasionally sneak a smoke, and she would let it slide. Daryl was after all a grown man, and he could make his own decisions. She just wanted him to stay healthy for the children.

The two men stood in comfortable silence as Daryl fired up his cigarette, the cherry red ember lighting up his face as he inhaled. "We're gonna find out the sex of the baby tomorrow."

"Oh son, that's great. Do you know what you are leaning towards, a girl or a boy?" Will asked.

"Healthy is all I care about. I never thought I would…or could be a father, but every time I look at little Kat I fall in love with her a little bit more. I felt our unborn baby move for the first time this morning, and it was just as much a miracle as it was when April let us feel Kat moving around." He told his father.

"I remember the first time I felt Merle move in your mother's belly. You're mom was sixteen and I was twenty-two. I sobbed like a baby that night. Even when she was pregnant with you, the few times I was home with her, I could feel you kicking me in the middle of the night when Nora would hold me in her arms. As bad as I was to her, she still held onto me with everything she had. It was like she felt that if she held onto me then I wouldn't leave her for the drugs, booze, or women. I really wish I could go back to those days and just do right by her." Will mused.

"Then you wouldn't have met Jacqui and you probably wouldn't have changed." Daryl reminded his father.

"Jacqui was an angel. I didn't think it was possible, but I genuinely loved both women, and I always will." His father said.

"You still got feelings for Momma?" Daryl asked.

Will was silent. If he said it out loud, then it would be true, and Will didn't know if he could admit it.

"You don't have to answer, silence speaks volumes." Daryl said.

"Look Daryl, your mother and I had a 'moment' the other night. Things with her and Cesar have been tense, and she was lonely. We had spent time out on my porch talking after she couldn't sleep. She confessed to me that she was still in love with me, but I told her that we couldn't pursue that path. I'm still grieving over Jacqui, and she seems to have forgotten all the bad things I did to her. My actions sent her away, and cost her a relationship with you and your brother. I can't risk hurting her again." Will confided.

"What's going on with her and Cesar? He seems to really love her, even though there is an age difference." Daryl said.

"Nora said that right after they found Karen murdered, Cesar started withdrawing from her. She thinks he feels guilty because he had been on duty the night she was killed, and wasn't able to catch whoever murdered her. I know someone else who carries guilt the same way and I hope he has learned that it doesn't do any good. Everything in life happens for a reason, and God allows it to happen that way. It's just the way life is." Will said, letting Daryl know it was OK to let things go.

"I get what your saying, and I'm really trying to let things go, but if something were to happen to Davia, the unborn baby, or Kat, I can't promise you I wouldn't blame myself. It's my job to protect them and keep them safe, and if I fail at that…I don't know how I would feel." Daryl admitted.

"Daryl, consider yourself blessed that you feel that sense of duty to your family. I lost that feeling, and I became my family's biggest threat. I pray you never fail like that. I hope to God you use me as an example of what NOT to be as a man." He told his son.

"You're alright now pops, maybe you should stop blaming yourself as well. Like you said, everything happens for a reason. You wouldn't have met Jacqui, and Momma wouldn't have had Benny. It's all pretty fucked up, but here we all are. It ain't Georgia, but we are all a family and that's the most important thing." Daryl said.

"When did you become the voice of reason in this family?" Will asked his son, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I guess it was when I finally grew up. Davia had a lot to do with that. Now I'm a father and I have to step it up. I just hope I don't' fuck it up. As long as I have you to remind me, and Davia to love me, I think I will be OK." He said in a rare tender moment with his father.

"Daryl, I'm here for you whenever you need me. I love you son." He said.

Daryl gave a nod. "You too old man."

**Yeah, Yeah, a little sappy at the end. This was a transition chapter...as in we are transitioning to something big. **

**I just wanted to remind you that I have a poll up regarding which story to continue with next. So far, everything is pointing to the continuation of this story, but that could change, it depends on you guys.**

**I got some AWESOME reviews last chapter, and I absolutely adore them. so Please Please Please leave me some more for this chapter. They help out so much and It helps me decide where to go with each chapter. **

**We will find out the sex of the baby next chapter, but I'm curious as to what you suspect? I already have made up my mind, and even have a name, but I'm curious about your thoughts. Also, Should Lori Live or Die? I was originally gonna kill her off, but now I'm not so sure, but I would love to know your thoughts.**

**Thanks to each and everyone of you who reviewed. I'm rushing now so I can go watch Fear the Walking dead. **

**Toodles and Hugs and Kisses and Lots and lots of love-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	46. Chapter 46

**Warning-A bit of smut in this chapter. **

Date night. An honest to God date night for Davia and Daryl. Grandma Nora was going to keep little Katerina for the evening, and Daryl and Davia were going to spend some well-deserved quality time together. Between caring for their daughter who was now four months old, and their responsibilities in the camp, Daryl and Davia had not had a moment alone. Rick noticed it and suggested that they take an evening and just spend time together. He knew the young couple would be reluctant to take advantage of the offer, but he insisted that it would be good for the both of them.

Davia was having a bit of separation anxiety. She had packed up Katerina's overnight bag and dressed her daughter in a pair of pink pajamas. She also made sure that little Kat had her favorite blanket and stuffed ducky as well as plenty of diapers and a few changes of clothes. Daryl had tried to ease Davia's fears, but he was struggling to calm her down.

"Davia, it's one night, and we are gonna be next door. Mama knows how to take care of an infant, she raised three of them." He said, trying to soothe her fears.

"I know, it's just the first time I've been away from her since we brought her home and I can't help but worry. What if she wakes up crying?" Davia said.

"If she wakes up crying, then mama will feed or change her and rock her back to sleep. You need to relax." Daryl told her.

"Fine, I'm just being overly emotional. I'm gonna blame baby # 2 on that." She sighed.

Daryl and Davia had found out that they were having a baby boy a few weeks earlier. They had opted to keep the sex of the baby a secret from the rest of the group, including Daryl's parents. Unfortunately, all of the baby items that they had in the camp were for girls, and that meant that at some point Daryl would need to go on a run to find some things for his son to wear.

When Daryl first saw the ultrasound and Milton had pointed out that he had fathered a son, an overwhelming sense of pride had filled him. He had been honest when he said that the only thing he cared about was that the child was healthy, but when he found out he was having a boy, something swelled in Daryl's chest. He saw visions of him taking his boy hunting and teaching him survival skills. He also imagined his boy protecting his sister and his mom as he got older, and that actually gave Daryl a sense of peace. Daryl knew that each day was a gift, and he also knew that with his "need to protect and serve" that there was a good chance that he may not always be around, or he could be gone for long periods of time. Having a son meant that there would be someone to take care of his family if he was unable too. It was a morbid thought, but it was also a possible reality.

Davia kissed her daughter, and handed her over to Daryl so Daryl could bring her over to Nora. While he was gone Davia packed up a picnic basket and grabbed a blanket. Daryl had told her that they would just leave the camp and enjoy some of the natural beauty in the area. They had spent so much time trying to survive Alaska, that they rarely had time to enjoy the natural paradise.

…

Daryl brought Davia to a place he had found while he was out hunting. It provided a spectacular view of the Bay and the mountains that surrounded them, as well as a stunning view of the sunset. The area had been fenced off years ago, and that provided protection against the walkers as well as any of the wild life that might cause a threat. The weather had turned warmer as they were now in early May, and the evening was turning out to be beautiful.

Daryl spread the blanket out and sat down, motioning for Davia to join him. She nestled herself between his knees and leaned her head back against Daryl's chest, letting out a soft moan as she felt his warmth enveloping her. Daryl leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her neck as he let his hands glide to her swollen belly. He could lose himself in this moment forever.

"Daryl, this is nice." Davia told him.

"Mmm…it is." He told her, continuing to kiss her neck and then sliding his lips down to her shoulder.

"Are you trying to get frisky with me Mr. Dixon?" She asked in a teasing voice.

"Maybe. It's been a while Mrs. Dixon." He replied in a low growling voice.

"Daryl, it's been a week." She told him, giving him a light smack on the arm.

"Nope, It's been eight days. Eight fucking long days." He told her as he slid his hands up her side and traced the sides of her breasts. The motion garnered a sudden sigh from Davia.

"Daryl…"She said, but he placed a finger over her mouth and whispered "Shhh, let me make you feel good baby."

Daryl placed a kiss on her mouth and slid his tongue softly between her lips. Davia couldn't help but reciprocate and she felt heat pooling between her thighs. The kiss soon grew furious and Daryl carefully laid Davia down, while moving to his side, without breaking the kiss.

Another soft moan left Davia's lips as she felt Daryl slip his hands between her thighs and then be began to rub his hand against her through her jeans.

"Daryl, are you sure you want to do this out in the open?" She asked him.

"Never been more sure of anything. Everyone is back at the camp, hell we have more privacy here than we have in the cabin. Those walls are paper thing and every time we have Sex I think my mother hears us." He replied to her.

Davia let out a giggle at the thought. Daryl unbuttoned her jeans and slid them off of her, revealing a pair of pink panties with white polka dots and matching bra. "Damn girl, you are always trying to kill me wearing all these sexy under garments." He told her.

"I won't be wearing them much longer, notice my boobs are busting out of the bra, and I can barely get my panties up because of the baby growing in my belly." She said.

"You look fucking hot to me Davia." He said as he was now working on slipping off her panties.

"I feel exposed out here Daryl." She said.

"Relax darling, I'm here with ya, and the only other person here with us is the Lord above, and I don't think he minds what we are doing."

Daryl slipped his hands between her now bare thighs and let his fingers wander to her soft folds. She was already wet and ready for him and he let out a breath. Davia could sense his needs and she made quick work of his belt and he helped her as he worked himself out of his jeans and boxers, just leaving him with his shirt and vest on. Normally Davia would have encouraged him to slip them off, but after his latest round of injuries, she knew he was more sensitive than ever of the ropes of scars on his back.

Daryl now began to kiss his way down Davia's body, starting at her ample cleavage. He ran his tongue over her breasts, and then found her stiff peaks and placed one in his mouth, suckling the hard peak and causing Davia's arousal to grow. He himself was rock hard, and Davia could feel his hardness against her bare leg. As he worked on her breasts, she ran her fingers down to his cock and began to rub against his shaft. He bucked against her hand out of an uncontrollable need to be close to her.

"What do you want Daryl?" She asked in a teasing voice.

"You baby, I want you." He rasped.

"Then take me." She said in a whisper.

"I intend too." He worked his mouth lower, kissing her breasts, then peppering her abdomen with gentle kisses. Daryl Dixon was not known for his tenderness, but as a lover, he could be gentle, tender, and patient like no one could imagine. It was what made the intimacy between the two of them that much more special, and that was because Davia saw a side of Daryl that no one else ever got to see. He was her own private Daryl, and she loved that part of him.

Daryl began to work his fingers against her silky wet folds and could feel her swollen nub beneath his fingertips. "So wet for me…aren't ya girl?"

Davia bucked against his hand, her body begging for more fervent contact, and Daryl began to move his fingers faster, drawing gasps from his wife. Davia began stroking Daryl's manhood quicker, and as she slid her soft fingers over his tip, she could feel the slick precum along the head of his cock. He was just as ready for her as she was for him.

Davia felt Daryl's tongue slide against her nub, flicking at a feverish rate, and she thought she was going to explode.

"Fuck yeah Daryl…Oh God." She squealed.

"Hold on for me baby, I want us to come together." He told her. Davia dug her nails into her thigh trying to control herself and prevent herself from having an orgasm. Daryl's ministrations were sending waves of pleasure throughout her body, and Davia was now cupping her breasts in her hands, adding to the sensations she was experiencing.

"Love to see ya playing with your nipples like that baby." Daryl moaned which turned her on even more than she thought was possible.

"Daryl…I want you inside of me…now." She whimpered. Daryl removed his tongue from between her slick folds and looked at her intensely. "What do you want from me?" He teased.

"Your cock baby, God I want your hot throbbing cock." She begged him. Davia Longstreet Dixon never thought she would say something so blunt and so direct, but Damnit, Daryl did things to her that turned her into a wild animal at times.

Daryl didn't respond verbally, but he more than made up with it physically. She could feel his enormous erection plow into her with desperation. Daryl couldn't fight back the moan as he felt her tight wetness envelop his throbbing manhood.

"You feel so fucking good Davia." He said in a husky voice. Davia could feel him thrusting inside of her and as they developed a rhythm she met each of his thrust and rolled her hips, pulling him in deeper each time.

Daryl slipped his tongue across her nipple, and he felt it harden even more as he teased her. He could feel Davia's breathing become erratic and he knew she was close. He pushed even deeper inside of her and Davia reacted by practically lifting both of their bodies together off the blanket as she thrust against him desperately. She let out a soft scream and he felt her muscles tighten around him, and he knew they were both about to go over the edge together.

"Oh God Yes." She shouted as her legs began to tremble and she rode out what had to be the most intense orgasm she had ever experienced. Daryl let out a matching grunt and pushed himself as deep inside her as he could, matching her intensity as he felt his orgasm take over his body and he spilled his seed inside of her. She milked him for everything he was worth, and in one final thrust, she moaned as the pleasure tingled throughout her entire body. Finally relaxing and feeling Daryl gently collapse down on top of her she couldn't help but smile. Both of them were breathing heavily, and a light sheen of sweat encompassed them as well.

"That…was…incredible." Davia finally managed to get out.

"Well worth the eight day wait." Daryl said, still trying to catch his breath.

After about ten minutes, they finally were able to recover from their intense love making experience and managed to pull their clothes back on. Daryl sat up and once again Davia found herself sitting between his knees with her head back against his chest. She couldn't keep the smile off of her face and the slight giggle in her voice. As they waited for the sunset Daryl asked her permission to light a cigarette, and she obliged, moving away from him slightly to avoid inhaling the smoke.

"I know ya want me to quit, but after sex like that I can't help but want to indulge." He told her. She simply laughed.

"It's OK Daryl, I know you've cut back quite a bit, and I can't ask for any more than that. I knew you were a smoker when we got together, and it's not fair for me to try to change you." She said.

"That's just another reason why I love you so much Davia, you let me be myself. I hope I allow you the same." He told her.

"Oh, you do Daryl. You give me so much joy, so much more than I ever expected in life. It's one of the many reasons I love you too." She told him.

He finished his cigarette and then pulled Davia back to him. The watched the sun set across the bay silently, just basking in the pleasure of being alone. After the sun went down, Daryl took a flashlight and led Davia back to the camp, but not before he asked her "Wanna take a swim?"

Davia let out an uncomfortable laugh "I'd love too, if I could swim."

"What? You can't swim, why didn't I ever know that?" He asked.

"Guess I didn't think it was that important. But no, I can't swim." She told him.

"Add that to the list of things I'm gonna teach ya babe." He told her.

"Only if we get to try it naked." She said, giving him a slight smile.

…

Daryl and Davia entered the camp hand in hand. Their good mood was taken down a notch when they heard a loud and violent argument between Bob, Sasha, and Tyreese. Since Karen's death, Tyreese had taken to drinking heavily, and apparently Bob was getting sick of it. He was yelling at Tyreese and telling him that he no longer felt safe having him around Sasha. Twice Tyreese had become violent, and Sasha had stepped in to calm her brother down. Both times leaving her bruised as Tyreese had fought against her. Daryl heard Bob tell the giant man that he was tired of cleaning up after "his pathetic ass." It saddened Daryl that Tyreese had slipped down this dark path after losing Karen, but each time he had reached out to his former boss, Tyreese just pushed Daryl away.

As Daryl stopped he saw Tyreese stumbling down the steps of Bob and Sasha's cabin. "Stay here for a minute." He told Davia.

Daryl walked over to help Tyreese stand upright "Man, what are you doing? You used to be someone I looked up too, and now look at ya. You're turning into a drunk just like my old man was Tyreese. Karen wouldn't want this for you." Daryl told the man as he swayed.

Tyreese just looked at Daryl with empty eyes. "Who the fuck are you to speak for Karen? You hated her because she knew just how weak you were Dixon. You don't have any right to speak her name, and you don't have any idea what you are talking about. You've got everything right now…family, a baby on the way, and your precious Davia. We got a killer in this camp, and you, Rick, and the others are just too damn busy with your own lives to make an effort to find that killer, but trust me, they will kill again, and when they do, and someone loses another loved one, you can come talk to me then." Tyreese yelled, pushing Daryl to the side and storming off towards his cabin.

Daryl just stood their dumb founded. How could Tyreese fall apart like this? The man had started a company from nothing and had become one of the most successful businessmen in all of Blue Ridge. He had helped Daryl out when no one else was willing too, ignoring the fact that Daryl was a low life Dixon…and now, Tyreese was little more than a bumbling drunk. It was more than just a little upsetting to Daryl and frustrating as well. He felt Davia's presence beside him and he turned to look his wife in the eyes.

"You did all you could Daryl, it's up to Tyreese to deal with this." She said, placing a comforting kiss on his cheek.

"You're right, I can't force him to change." He told her, taking her hand and leading her back to the cabin.

…

Nora sat quietly rocking her granddaughter, and relishing the feeling of holding a small baby in her arms. When she looked at Katerina, she saw baby Merle. The resemblance was uncanny, including little blonde curls just like Merle had, and those piercing blue eyes. Merle and Benny both took after Nora, but Daryl was the spitting image of Will. Both Nora and Will possessed striking blue eyes, but Will's were a much more intense blue than Nora's, and when she looked at Daryl, she saw a younger version of her ex-husband.

Things for Nora had been complicated since Karen's death. Cesar had been pulling away from her, and Nora began to question what her exact relationship with the younger man was. Cesar was forty-two years old, and she was sixty-one. Now living a life of luxury for the past thirty years had allowed her to age a little more gracefully than most, and Philip had encouraged her to have a few procedures done to keep her young and vibrant looking, but she was still considerably older than her lover.

At first, her and Cesar only had a relationship because Philip had hired the man to protect her, but after months of constant companionship, the two became close. When she wasn't burying her sadness of missing her sons in a bottle of expensive vodka, or constantly taking Xanax to help her forget what she had done, she found Cesar was a good confidant. He listened to her heartbreak, and he seemed to understand…even going as far as promising her that one day he would help her escape Blake's reign. He promised her that he would help her find her sons' one day, and when Michonne had made contact with Nora, it was Cesar whom she confided in. He helped her leave Blake's mansion and meet up with her son in North Dakota, and he treated Benny as if he were his own son. She couldn't have asked for more…and she knew that Cesar's actions had led to his own sister's death, but to this point, Cesar seemed like he could handle it, until recently.

Now he barely spent any time at the cabin, and was always offering to take a watch, or patrol the area. When he did manage to spend the night at the cabin, he would fall asleep on the couch, avoiding their bedroom. Nora was no stranger to sleeping alone, as she had done it for the past ten years of her marriage to Philip, but even during that ten years, Philip would periodically visit her for sexual favors, and she would oblige out of her sense of duty as his wife. She had been miserable with Blake after Benny was born, but she endured his coldness so she could guarantee she wouldn't be separated from yet another son.

And to make matters worse these days, she had feelings for Will re-kindle inside of her. They had shared a few moments of closeness, that tread close to being intimate, but Will had stopped whatever was going on between them in their tracks. He admitted to her that he still loved her, and always would, but he told her that as long as she still had Cesar, that there wasn't any way he would allow his feelings for her to interfere with her relationship with the younger man. Nora understood, but it didn't make things any easier. Will had eventually turned into the man that she had desired all along. She was angry with him for the monster he was years ago, and for driving her away from her boys, but she also found herself falling in love with him all over again. The feelings that she had for him before he started drinking re-appeared almost immediately. She hated how complicated things were for her, but one thing that still managed to bring a smile to her face was her little Granddaughter. The baby was sired by her oldest son, but was being raised by her youngest son, and Daryl showed no signs of treating the baby any differently than he would if she was his biologically. And now Daryl would have his own biological child to raise in a few months, and that warmed Nora's heart. She knew it would be a difficult challenge for he and Davia, but she knew that they were up to it.

…

Daryl and Davia fell asleep comfortably in each other's arms that night. A bliss between the both of them knowing that their baby was safe, and that they had each other for love, comfort, and protection. Daryl loved the feeling of his wife in his arms, and he could feel the soft kicking of their son as his hands rested protectively over her belly.

"So you got a son coming huh?" Merle asked.

"Hey big brother, I ain't heard from ya in a while." Daryl responded.

"I've been watching ya though. You're doing a good job with my baby girl. She's actually yours now. I can see you love her like she's your own and I couldn't ask for more than that." Merle told him.

"Is April there with ya, chasing ya around?" Daryl asked.

"She's been with me since she drew her last breath. Turns out she's not so bad after all. I'm never gonna be able to thank her for what she put herself through to get Katerina here." Merle mused.

"Why are you here Merle? You only show up when something is about to happen." Daryl asked him.

"Something big is gonna happen baby brother, and you have to be ready for it. You're gonna have to make choices, and they are gonna be hard. Do what is right, no matter how hard it is Daryl." Merle told him.

"What's gonna happen? Why are you always so vague?" Daryl asked.

"I can't tell ya, you'll figure it out though. Just be ready. Home may not be as far away as you think it is. You're gonna learn some things about me that may help you understand why things turned out the way they did. There is always more to the story than you think there is." Merle told him.

"How long do we got?" Daryl asked.

"Not long. Just make sure you make the right decisions Daryl, and stay strong for the family, they all are gonna need ya." Merle replied.

"What are you talking about, who in particular Merle?" Daryl screamed.

"Can't tell ya, but you will know. Protect as many as you can Daryl that's why the Good Lord put you here. Y'all got a traitor in this camp, just beware and keep your guard up. Davia and Kat are gonna need ya the most. Keep that in mind." Merle said in a forewarning voice.

"Damnit Merle, what is going to happen?" Daryl shouted again.

"Take care baby brother." Merle told him.

Daryl awoke to Davia gently shaking him. "Daryl, you're having a nightmare or something, what's going on?"

"I had a dream about Merle, he said to make sure I protect you and Kat, and that something is going to happen." Daryl confessed.

"Daryl, we'll be fine. It was just a dream." She said, trying to coax him back to sleep. Daryl had never told Davia about his "talks" with Merle, and this one seemed to be particularly specific, yet vague at the same time. He felt it in his bones though…something big was going to happen to the camp, but he had no idea what it was.

Maybe Tyreese was right, maybe that had given up on finding Karen's murderer too soon, and maybe her death was a result of something more sinister. Maybe Karen discovered something that threatened someone else in the camp. But whom would it threaten? And why? Now Daryl knew more than anything he had to figure out what happened, before something else threatened to take away the groups safety.

…

The next morning Davia went and visited Nora, and retrieved the baby from her mother-in-law and then headed towards the greenhouses. Daryl made his way towards the main lodge to find Dale.

"Hey Dale, can I talk to you?" Daryl asked.

"Of course you can son, what's on your mind?" Dale replied.

"Karen. Have you noticed anything strange with the radio either before or after she was killed?" Daryl asked.

Dale thought for a moment. "The only thing I noticed was that when Karen was killed, the radio was in a transmit mode, which was odd. It may have been put in that mode accidentally, or someone may have been making an attempt to make contact with someone outside the camp. She could have also been responding to a broadcast in an attempt to communicate with someone. I really hadn't given it much thought until now."

"Could someone have made an attempt to give away our location?" Daryl asked in a serious tone.

"Possibly, but why would they do that? This camp is safe and I don't think anyone here would want to endanger that safety." Dale told the younger man.

"Unless they thought they had something to gain by it. But there isn't anyone here that would gain anything by giving away the camp, unless it was Karen? Maybe she thought things would be better somewhere else. She had gone through a rough time prior to her death, and I know it was my fault. She was just doing her job when she suggested I was a threat to everyone, and I never faulted her for her feelings, but others in the camp did. Maybe she thought if she could find someone to take her and Tyreese in, that she might be better off." Daryl stated.

"But why would they kill her over that Daryl?" Dale asked.

"Maybe they saw what she was doing, and they just reacted. And once they realized what they did, they panicked." Daryl said.

"Possibly, but I couldn't imagine someone keeping such a heinous act a secret. Only a highly trained person could keep things like that to themselves for this long. It is an awful burden to bare, especially if it wasn't a planned reaction." Dale told him.

"You have a good point Dale, I'm just trying to figure out what happened, and I think it has something to do with the radio. I was gonna follow up with Rick and Milton and see if I can figure something out. I hate that I was in bad physical condition at the time, and couldn't follow up then. And then Katerina was born and we have been so busy with her that I have let this slip, and I think Tyreese needs closure. He's falling apart Dale." Daryl told the older man.

"I've noticed Daryl, but I don't know that solving Karen's murder will help him at this point. He is in a bad place, and to be honest, I think he is a threat to the sanctity of this camp." Dale confided.

"I agree." Daryl said.

"You know Daryl, I haven't had a chance to ask you how you are doing with all the changes in you and Davia's life. Davia was like a daughter to me, and I barely get to see her these days. Are you enjoying being a parent?" Dale asked, giving Daryl a gentle smile.

"Very much, but it may be the hardest thing I ever dealt with in my life. And before you know it, it's going to be double." Daryl admitted.

"It's a shame you weren't still in Blue Ridge. Did you ever find the tunnels under the house? Irma said they used to play down there for hours at a time." Dale asked.

"Tunnels, what tunnels? Was there even a basement?" Daryl asked.

"There is a huge basement under the house, but it must have been sealed up at some time. There were tunnels that led under the house and under the property, leading to a small cabin in the woods just off the property. The house had been used during the civil war as part of the Underground Railroad, and Irma's family had helped to get several enslaved families out of Georgia to the safety of the North. I wish Irma was still alive so she could tell you some of the harrowing stories." Dale said, thinking of his deceased wife.

"Maybe one day you can tell them to me Dale. I miss Blue Ridge and that house terribly. I wish nothing more than to be able to raise my children there, but it seems like this virus and my mother's husband had other plans. I hope one day we can return and all start over again." Daryl said in a voice full of longing.

"That makes two of us son. Well if you figure something out regarding Karen, let me know. I think we all want to know what happened on that night." Dale told him, and Daryl gave Dale a pat on the shoulder as he made his way towards Milton's clinic.

…

Daryl spent time with Milton, going over what the doctor had gleaned from the autopsy on Karen. The only thing of any significance that Milton was able to offer was the fact that it was a serrated blade that slit Karen's throat. That left Daryl baffled, since no one in camp carried a serrated bladed knife. Had there been someone from the outside that had managed to elude the guards to get into the bunkhouse that night? Cesar had said that it was a small figure that he had seen in the dark, and by the time he had reached Karen it had been too late. Maybe Karen's death was a ploy to occupy everyone, and allow the person to escape. Had they taken supplies? When Jacqui had passed the inventory keeping had been let go, and maybe no one noticed that something was missing. Could it have been a simple as break in gone wrong?

Daryl didn't know, but he was certainly going to find out. The first stop on his list was going to be Rick's place. The two had not spent much time together since Kat had been born, and he needed to talk to his old friend.

Daryl knocked on the door to Rick's cabin and Michonne answered. He was surprised to see Zeek sitting at the table talking to Rick.

"Daryl, good to see ya my boy." Zeek said as he got up and pulled Daryl into a rough hug. Rick tried to hide his smile, as he knew how much Daryl hated public affection.

"Hey Zeek. I stopped by to talk to Rick, but it might be good that you and Michonne are here too. I've been thinking a lot about Karen's death, and something isn't adding up." Daryl said.

"I know what you mean Daryl. I've been thinking a lot about it too, especially after seeing what it is doing to Tyreese." Rick told him.

"What if her death was completely unintentional, and she just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and someone just reacted to keep themselves safe. It's been almost five months Rick, and there haven't been anymore incidents." Daryl told him.

"Maybe there hasn't been anymore incidents because whoever killed Karen simply wanted her dead, and once it was done, it was over with." Michonne responded.

"But why would someone want to kill her? I mean, I understand she upset some people, but no one was angry enough to want to kill her. Hell, Davia probably had more reason than anyone to want her gone, and we know there wasn't any way it was Davia, since that was when I had been injured, and that was the night that Kat was born." Daryl said.

"Cesar said it was a smaller figure he saw leaving the bunk house before he found her. Could it have been one of the kids, or Beth? Beth hated Karen." Rick said.

"Come on Rick, Beth Greene? She might have a bit of a smart mouth at times, but she is incapable of hurting anyone. Her only goal at that time was to get Brad too finally sleep with her. There isn't any chance that it could have been Beth. Besides, Milton said that whoever did it used a serrated knife. I don't know of anyone in camp that has a serrated blade knife." Daryl said.

Zeek thought for a moment. "I had one in my truck, but now that I think about it, I haven't seen it in several months. Maybe someone took it and used it."

"Yeah, but who? Do you think it could have been one of your daughters?" Rick asked in a serious tone.

"Only Enid and Eliza are what you would consider small, and they were all in the room with the other girls and T at the time. I don't think any of my girls could do it." Zeek said, thinking about the idea of one of his girls taking someone's life.

"You know Daryl, I'm glad you came by. Something in this camp just doesn't feel right. I know we haven't had any incidents since Karen's death, but I've got a feeling in my gut that something is brewing." Rick said, rubbing his hands across his face. Daryl could see how weary Rick looked, and thought the man had looked like he had aged five years in the past five months.

"I think I'll follow up with Cesar and see if he can give me any more details. Momma says this whole thing has haunted him, and maybe he can shed some light on what he saw. I hate to think someone from the outside broke into the camp that night, but part of me hopes someone from the outside broke into the camp. If not, we still have a murderer among us." Daryl said, receiving a nod from everyone in the room.

"Daryl, can I get you some coffee? Mine isn't as good as Davia's but it's not horrible." Michonne said, offering him one of her rare but stunning smiles.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I've heard a rumor that Lori and Eugene have become close…any truth to that?" Daryl asked Rick.

Rick started laughing "It appears that way. They seem to enjoy each other's company, and Lori has actually been encouraging Carl to stay down here at the cabin with me again. If it helps her keep it together through the end of this pregnancy, I'm all for it. She's due any day now, an once the baby is born, we will have the answers on paternity."

As Michonne was pouring Daryl his coffee a frantic knock on the door startled all of them. Rick answered it and it was a distraught Eugene on the front porch.

"The baby's coming Rick, but something is bad wrong with Lori. I think it will be advantageous for you to go to the clinic now." Rick didn't answer, but quickly left the cabin, with Eugene following directly behind him. Everyone else took a look around and before they knew it, they were all headed down to the clinic. The last thing they needed right now was for the baby to die, and Daryl couldn't help the feeling of fear that hit him in the gut.

…

Milton had tried to save Lori and the baby. But Lori's uterus had ruptured, and the only thing he could do was attempt to save the child. He knew the C-section would kill Lori, but she insisted that at this point her baby's life was more important than hers and wouldn't allow Milton to make any other choice. Lori said a tearful goodbye to Carl, who was overcome with emotions, and then Eugene. They hadn't had a long friendship, but he gave her happiness in her final days.

Milton had the compassion to give Lori a large dosage of pain medication before he removed the baby, and once the child was born, then Lori succumbed quickly. Carl insisted on being the one who ended his mother's life for good, and Daryl knew it had to be the hardest thing the kid had ever done. After he had removed the knife from Lori's brain, the teenager collapsed into Michonne's comforting arms.

Rick was now holding the small infant, a little girl, and was at a loss at what to do or say. Daryl noticed the conflicted look on his friend's face, and could only offer a slightly comforting pat on the back. "I'm sorry Rick, are you gonna be OK?" Daryl asked softly.

"Gotta be. At this point, I don't think a DNA test is needed. She's mine, I can tell. We'll take care of her." Rick said, and Daryl nodded at the man's decision. It wasn't really any different than the one he and Davia made with Kat.

Milton was going to remove Lori's body from the room, but Eugene refused to let her go.

"She was a damn fine woman, and I am not quite ready to allow her to go." Eugene said.

"Eugene, you know you are letting your emotions get the best of you. We can't allow the body to stay here for much longer. Without proper refrigeration or embalming it just isn't healthy for the rest of us." The doctor told the scientist.

"I am quite aware of that, but I am also not prepared to send her to a cold grave in the dark ground. She just made the ultimate sacrifice to bring that little baby into this world, and I would like a moment or two alone with her." Eugene requested.

Milton took a deep breath and then nodded "Ten minutes, and then we need to make plans for her final resting place."

Eugene simply nodded. Daryl watched the exchange between the two men and felt his stomach churning. Two babies, and two dead mother's. What if Davia would be number three? Daryl found himself running out of the clinic and throwing up behind the building. Childbirth wasn't supposed to be dangerous like this, but then again, he remembered playing in the cemetery as a kid, and realizing that the graves were full of mothers and infants. What if this killed Davia? He couldn't allow himself to think like that. Milton was a capable doctor, and April had been sick with a terminal illness, and Rick had mentioned that Lori had complications with Carl. Maybe it would be different with Davia. Milton had said she was healthy and the baby was healthy. He also had told Daryl that Davia's larger frame would make the birthing process easier. Everything had to be all right. It just had too. What if this had been what Merle had been warning him about though? What if Daryl was going to need to raise these two children on his own? Could he do it?

He didn't know if he could do it, but he knew that if it came down to it, he would do it. All the joy of the previous evening with Davia all seemed like a distant memory now to Daryl. The weight of the world had now shifted once again, and this time it sat squarely on his shoulders.

**Hmmm...so what do you think? I'm just gonna give you a heads up, we are saying goodbye to a lot of folks next chapter. I have a list, so if there is anyone you absolutely don't want to die, let me know who and why. If it is a good enough argument, I might change my mind.**

**I really need your reviews and ideas on this last chapter. There are only a few more in this epic long story, but don't fear, there will be a part 2. **

**Just an FYI, please check out my poll and let me know what you want me to write next. If only I had more time, I would write all the time.**

**I've got a dreaded nine day trip to California coming up in a week, so I hope to get an update up next sunday, but the sunday after that may be a big challenge, since I will unfortunately be out in Cali for business, not pleasure. The only good thing is that we are sooooo close to the season premier, and it looks like we might get quite a bit of Daryl in Season 6. I'm super excited.**

**Take care and enjoy your sunday. Curious to know what everyone thinks of FTWD.**

**Hugs and Kisses-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	47. Chapter 47

**This is a long one...so hold on.**

Daryl was feeling physically sick. He helped get everything settled at the clinic and made sure that Rick, Eugene, and Carl were holding it together. Carl had turned cold, Rick appeared to be feeling guilt, and Eugene was completely withdrawn. Who would of thought that Lori's death could effect so many people in so many different ways? Michonne was the only one who seemed to be acting normal, and Daryl would have expected nothing less from his stepsister. Michonne was one of the strongest individuals he had ever met, and she had an uncanny ability to be able to compartmentalize whatever life threw at her.

Daryl quietly headed up the steps of the cabin and found utter chaos inside. Kat was screaming, and Davia was crying while trying to clean up a can of powdered formula that had spilled all over the floor. He could smell something burning and realized that one of the pans on the stove was most likely the culprit. Quickly Daryl made his way to the stove and removed the burning pan.

"What's going on Davia?" Daryl asked softly.

"I can't do this anymore Daryl. I just can't. I'm a horrible mother." She whimpered.

Daryl reached down and took the screaming child from Davia and began to rock the infant, softly speaking to his daughter and calming the child's cries. Davia continued sobbing and for a moment, all of Daryl's fears were set to the back of his mind. Davia needed him now, and his daughter needed him as well. This he could handle.

"Davia, take my hand and let me help you up off of the floor. This ain't no place for you to be." He said as he took his hand that wasn't cradling Kat and offered it to his wife. He managed to help her up, and she took a look around the room and let out a pitiful sob.

"What am I gonna do?" She asked.

"You are gonna go to the room and lie down and let me take care of you and the baby right now." He told her.

"Daryl, what's wrong? You have a look of concern on your face." She told him.

"Bad day is all. Lori didn't survive the birth, but the baby did. Rick's got the little girl and says it's his. They're gonna bury Lori in a little bit if you want to attend the service." Daryl told her.

Davia nodded "When should we be there?"

"I-I- I can't do it Davia. I can't watch them put another momma in the ground." He told her, the fear in him was showing through his strong demeanor as his voice cracked when he admitted to Davia that he couldn't attend Lori's service.

Suddenly Davia felt like a selfish bitch. Here she was feeling sorry for herself because her child had been crying causing her to drop formula on the floor, and managed to burn dinner. Daryl on the other hand was trying his hardest to keep it together for her after witnessing the second death following childbirth. She knew him well enough to know that he was terrified of losing her. He didn't have to say it because she felt it. Daryl wouldn't admit it because he would appear weak, but she knew when he saw April and Lori dead, he feared he would lose her.

"Tell ya what, you stay here with Kat and I'll attend. I've known Lori since we were kids, and it's only proper I attend her funeral. Kat isn't feeling well and I don't want her exposed to the weather so it's best she stay at the cabin. Will that work for you?" She asked.

"Yeah that will work, but I still want you to lie down and get some rest. I'll start dinner while you are resting, and then maybe we can go see Milton this afternoon and you can have a check up." Daryl said.

"Daryl, I don't think it's necessary. I visited him just last week and everything is going well…" She told him, noticing that he wasn't thrilled with her answer. Right now Daryl needed reassurance, and if it meant a trip to see Milton, then she would do it. "You know what, maybe you're right. I'll stop by and see him after the service."

"Sounds good Davia, we can't be too careful." He said trying not to show his fear and desperation.

…

Lori's funeral was a somber occasion. When April passed, everyone had suspected that it was coming, but Lori, her death took everyone by complete surprise.

Rick stood stoically with a hand on his son's shoulder and his other arm wrapped around Michonne, who was holding the new bundle of joy. Carl had chosen the name Judith for the little one, and now Michonne found herself in the same role as Davia…a mommy. She knew it couldn't be easy for Michonne at this moment, as she had lost her own child a few years ago, but Michonne stood strong, and supported her man, and her more or less adopted son.

Father Gabriel spoke beautiful words about sacrifice and a mother's love for her child. Davia wasn't sure if Lori ever knew what true love meant, but Lori did care for her son, and had begged Milton to save the baby instead of her self, and Davia could relate to those actions. If it came down to saving her or her and Daryl's unborn son, she would gladly sacrifice herself for her baby boy.

Davia looked around at the group and it broke her heart. So much pain and loss in such a short period of time was taking its toll on the morale of the camp. It wasn't that anyone other than Eugene and maybe the Grime's family was overly upset at Lori's passing, but it was that they should be celebrating the birth of a child, not grieving the death of yet another mother. Davia couldn't wipe away the haunted look on Daryl's face when he returned to the cabin. He was afraid, and she knew it. One thing was for certain and that was she would do whatever she could to ease his fear, and if that meant extra trips to see Milton, then so be it.

When the service was over everyone walked back to the camp, most families sticking together, and maybe holding each other a little bit tighter. Zeek and Ingrid led their brood back to the main lodge, and T-dog was holding Corinne close to him.

As they departed the ever-growing cemetery, Davia noticed that Eugene refused to leave Lori's grave. The man had finally found something in the one person that she would have never expected to bond with the mulleted man, and now he had lost it. Tara was gently trying to get Eugene to return to the camp, but he refused. There was a look of frustration, but also understanding on the woman's face and then Davia noticed that she removed her gun from the holster and handed it to Eugene. He looked up at her in confusion and she just smiled at him and replied "Just in case. You have to start carrying Eugene…you are too important to us to risk losing you. I know you are hurting right now, but you have to think about the overall picture." She then reached down and gave Eugene a kiss on the cheek and left the man to grieve.

…

When Davia returned to the cabin, Daryl had the place cleaned up and had dinner on the stove. He had made spaghetti using ground Elk instead of beef. He made the sauce from some of the tomatoes that Davia had grown and Davia had to admit the Cabin smelled delicious.

"Mmmm Daryl, it smells so good in here. How did Kat do?" She asked.

"She's real fussy and I think she is running a low grade fever." Daryl told her in a concerned voice.

"Ingrid's stopping by in a little while and maybe she can tell us if we need to bother Milton or not." Davia told her husband.

As if on cue, Kat began to wail and Davia rushed over to check on her daughter. She gently picked up the infant and began to rock her while singing to the baby softly.

_**When you can't find the light,**_

_**That guides you on the cloudy days,**_

_**When the stars ain't shinin' bright,**_

_**You feel like you've lost you're way,**_

_**When those candle lights of home,**_

_**Burn so very far away,**_

_**Well you got to let your soul shine,**_

_**Just like my daddy used to say.**_

_**He used to say soulshine,**_

_**It's better than sunshine,**_

_**It's better than moonshine,**_

_**Damn sure better than rain.**_

_**Hey now people don't mind,**_

_**We all get this way sometime,**_

_**Got to let your soul shine, shine till the break of day.**_

_**I grew up thinkin' that I had it made,**_

_**Gonna make it on my own.**_

_**Life can take the strongest man,**_

_**Make him feel so alone.**_

_**Now and then I feel a cold wind,**_

_**Blowin' through my achin' bones,**_

_**I think back to what my daddy said,**_

_**He said "Boy, in the darkness before the dawn:"**_

_**Let your soul shine,**_

_**It's better than sunshine,**_

_**It's better than moonshine,**_

_**Damn sure better than rain.**_

_**Yeah now people don't mind,**_

_**We all get this way sometimes,**_

_**Gotta let your soul shine, shine till the break of day.**_

_**Sometimes a man can feel this emptiness,**_

_**Like a woman has robbed him of his very soul.**_

_**A woman too, God knows, she can feel like this.**_

_**And when your world seems cold, you got to let your spirit take control.**_

_**Let your soul shine, **_

_**It's better than sunshine,**_

_**It's better than moonshine,**_

_**Damn sure better than rain.**_

_**Lord now people don't mind,**_

_**We all get this way sometimes,**_

_**Gotta let your soul shine, shine till the break of day.**_

_**Oh, it's better than sunshine,**_

_**It's better than moonshine,**_

_**Damn sure better than rain.**_

_**Yeah now people don't mind,**_

_**We all get this way sometimes,**_

_**Gotta let your soul shine, shine till the break of day.**_

Daryl recognized the song, and realized it had been entirely too long since he had heard the beauty of Davia's voice. He made his way over to his wife and daughter and admired the way that Davia was finally able to get the little girl to relax.

"I miss it Davia." He said gruffly.

"What do you miss Daryl?" She asked confused by his statement.

"I miss everything from before. I'm kicking myself in the ass for allowing you to get pregnant and risking your life. If we didn't have Milton, I don't know what I would do. I also hate the fact I've got you living up here in this fucking frozen Tundra raising my brother's kid when we should be living in our house on the lake. You should be performing in Nashville, following your dream, not living in Alaska with a stupid redneck like me. Hell, I didn't even get a chance to really marry you. This is a totally fucked up situation and you deserve so much more." Daryl said in a defeated voice.

"Stop it Daryl. As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we are. You are my life, and now Kat and our unborn son are too. I don't give a crap about a stupid ceremony that legally tells us we are husband and wife. The legal system doesn't even exist anymore. I'm committed to you…forever, and you are committed to me. What else do we need? And as far as Nashville goes…I would have never made it. I might have musical talent, but I didn't have the looks that were needed to make it big." She said to him tersely.

"You're beautiful Davia, why can't you see it." Daryl asked.

"Because I'm a realist Daryl. I appreciate that you see me that way, but other's didn't and still don't. It's OK though, I feel good about myself now, and that is because of you. You gave me the confidence that I needed. I can look people in the eye now, and I can and will stand up for myself. That is the gift you gave me Daryl, and I wouldn't change a thing." She said. She walked over to the baby crib and placed the now sleeping child down, and then made her way to Daryl, engulfing him in a warm and loving hug. Just as she pulled herself against him, their son decided he was going to start playing football in her womb.

Daryl felt the child kicking furiously and couldn't help but smile. "He's gonna be an active kid ain't he?"

"Just like his daddy, can't sit still for ten minutes." She said, giving him a smile.

"I reckon you are right, it's not where we are that matters, it's that we are together as a family. When Ingrid gets here we'll see if she can watch Kat for a bit so we can at least get you checked out with Milton. It will make me feel better." Daryl told her. She simply nodded, because she knew it was what Daryl needed for reassurance right now.

…

Nora was at a crossroads in her life. Things between her and Cesar were no longer falling apart; they were crumbling into dust. He had stopped staying at the cabin and had moved his things to the barn. She had begged him to talk to someone regarding his guilt over Karen's death, but he refused. He just told her that no one would understand his failure. It struck Nora strangely that he seemed to be holding onto this loss so tightly. Cesar had been in the military prior to being hired by Blake, and she knew that he had been trained to handle death, so she was confused why Karen's death had affected him so deeply.

On this particular evening Nora was sitting on the porch, simply reflecting on what she was dealing with in her life. Apparently Philip Blake had reduced himself to begging for anyone who knew about Nora's whereabouts to report what they knew to one of his loyal minions. That meant she was probably the most wanted person in the country at the moment. Who would have ever thought that some little country girl from Blue Ridge Georgia would become such a pawn in the end of the world? She shook her head and let out a soft laugh at the irony of it all.

"What's got ya so tickled there gal?" Will asked as he stepped up on her porch.

"Just thinking about the irony of this whole situation." Nora said.

"How so?" Will inquired.

"Just how the whole world has fell apart, and it's my husband that has pretty much caused it. I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty certain he had something to do with the virus, and of course, he did manage to pull a coup on the US Government. I used to think you were a monster Will, but you were nothing compared to him." She said, offering her ex husband a warm smile.

"I ain't real sure how to take that comment Nora." Will joked back to her.

"Will, I've been with three men in my life, and I truly only loved one of them. I lost him, but now I have him back. What I'm trying to say to you is that I have fell in love with you all over again. You are like the man I fell in love with when I was a teenager, but you are even better now. Everything you went through and everything you did ended up turning you into a strong and caring man. We can't take back the past, but we can start with a new beginning." She told him as she broke down in tears.

Will quickly moved to take her in his arms to offer her comfort. Nora was lost, and she had been lost since before she had left him and the boys. That was Will's fault and he knew it, and the mess she had gotten herself into with Blake was his fault too. Had he of not failed so miserably as a husband and a father they would still be together, and Daryl and Merle would have turned out differently. Merle might still be alive, and Daryl might not have been so emotionally damaged. But in spite of all that had happened to Daryl, Daryl had turned into a strong and caring man, he just struggled immensely with his emotions. The only ones he shared freely were anger and guilt. Yet, his son had managed to meet a beautiful woman and fall in love, and was showing none of the parenting failures that Will had.

Lost in the thoughts and guilt of everything that had occurred in the past, Will found himself engaged in a passionate and loving kiss with Nora. It wasn't awkward, but instead if felt natural and comforting. Will ran his fingers through her hair as they pushed the kiss further. Taking a deep breath Will pulled away.

"Nora we can't…you are with someone else and…"

"Shhh. Cesar has left, and if you are worried about him, then I will tell him that it's over. You know I still love you, and I can tell you still feel the same for me. I'll end it Will, and then maybe we can put our family back together again." She said weeping.

The look of love on her face and the beauty of her features were illuminated by the moonlight. Life was short, and Will had grieved for Jacqui for months now. Maybe it was time to start all over again, but the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Nora or Cesar. She had agreed to tell the younger man that their relationship was over, but even once that was done, was this fair to Nora? Will searched his heart for a sign that this was the right path. He wasn't sure what the answer was, but at this moment he knew that his love for Nora never ended. He might have put it on the back burner after she left, but it never truly left him. It didn't take away what he felt with Jacqui, but Nora had been his first and true love, and it seemed that God had brought them back together after all these years for a reason.

Will let out a sigh "You talk to Cesar and set things right, and then we will work on what it is that we have between us Nora. But this time, I'm treating you right, and courting you properly. I might still be Will Dixon, but I have a faith and standards that I didn't used to have. I have trust that the Lord knows what he is doing with all of this, and he has reunited us for a reason darling. I love you Nora, and I can't deny it a moment more." He said pulling her against him tightly. He cupped her face in his hands and took in the sight of her beauty. Very gently he wiped away her tears with his thumb and she rested her head against his chest. It felt so natural between the two of them, and Will Dixon felt the same way he did about her many many years before, he loved her, and they were meant to be together again.

…

After her visit with Milton, the doctor assured her and Daryl that everything with Davia's pregnancy was going well and that Davia was very healthy. He also convinced Daryl that Davia appeared to have none of the complications that April or Lori had with their pregnancies. April had a terminal illness, and according to Milton, Lori's tiny size and the fact that she had complications with her pregnancy with Carl had put Lori in a high-risk category. It wasn't much, but it seemed to appease Daryl. He was just thankful that they had Milton in camp to make sure that his son would be delivered healthy.

Everyone had been trying to pry the sex of the baby from Daryl and Davia, but they held strong to their conviction of keeping it a surprise…until they realized that they were going to have to do a run at sometime for additional baby supplies. They had absolutely nothing for a baby boy to wear and Daryl declared "ain't no son of his going to be wearing pink."

So one evening when the entire group was dining at the main lodge, Davia stood up and announced that her and Daryl would be having a son, and they had chose the name Tristan Lee Dixon for the unborn child. Of course she was immediately inundated with hugs and well wishes, and Daryl was receiving strong handshakes and pats on the back, especially from his father, Rick, and Zeek. The burly man even shed a few tears, reminding Daryl of what a blessing it was to be passing his family name through his soon to be born boy.

"You know you and Ingrid could always try for one more." Daryl joked.

"I'm too old for that shit Dixon. Ingrid's forty-seven and I don't think she wants to go down that path again. That's alright though, Uncle Zeek and Aunt Ingrid are gonna spoil that little one of yours…and his adopted girly cousins and sister will most likely drive him batty. I'm happy for you Daryl, I truly am." Zeek said once again giving Daryl and exuberant hug.

Once Daryl and Davia had their mini celebration at Dinner, T-dog stood up "Since we are all celebrating the newest addition to the family, Corrine and I wanted to let everyone know we want to marry. We've talked to Father Gabriel, and he has agreed to marry us next week. I've already discussed it with Zeek and Ingrid, and they have given us their blessing. I know it's been a short courtship, but in this day and age you can't waste time." The teddy bear of a man said, giving his new Fiancé a million-dollar smile. Once again, the celebration continued and Abe began to pull out a few bottles of the top shelf liquor to celebrate. It was a good night and everyone was finally relaxing and putting some of the tragedies they had struggled with as a group behind them.

Before the evening was over, Zeek, Will, and Daryl had been conned into taking the teens hunting the next day. That meant that the three men would be taking Carl, Benny, Enid, Eliza, Duane, and Sophia out for the day. Carol was concerned about Sophia being outside the camp for such a long period of time, but Zeek re-assured her that the skills Sophia would learn would not only benefit the girl, but the entire camp. Being able to kill and clean an animal was more important now than ever before, and after Zeek promised Sophia would be protected, Carol reluctantly agreed.

…

The next morning after Daryl left with the others for their hunting trip, Beth knocked on the door to visit. She had brought Scottie along and Davia was pleasantly surprised. Kat was still fussy, and Ingrid had told her that the little girl was teething. As an Old Norwegian remedy, Ingrid had told Davia to rub a bit of bourbon on the child's gums to help relieve the pain. She also had managed to find an old teething ring that Davia had sterilized and offered to her daughter. It seemed to help quite a bit, and it at least allowed Davia to get some rest.

"Beth I am so glad to see ya." Davia said offering her best friend a hug.

"Well Scottie has been wanting to visit, and Brad is on watch, so I thought it would be a good time to visit. How are you feeling?" Beth asked.

"I'm feeling great Beth. I haven't had too much morning sickness, and Kat keeps me pre-occupied most of the time, so I haven't had a chance to actually dwell on the discomforts of pregnancy." Davia told her younger friend.

"Can I feel the baby?" Scottie asked.

"Scottie, that's not polite." Beth said.

"No, it's fine Beth. This little monster is squirming around like crazy. Come here Scottie and you can feel him kicking" Davia told him as she took the small boy's hand and placed it over her belly where the primary movement was taking place.

Scottie's eyes grew wide when he felt the movement of the unborn child and his immediate reaction was to pull his hand away. "It's OK Scottie, it doesn't hurt" She told him reassuringly.

After a few minutes Davia found some paper and some crayons and gave them to Scottie to keep him occupied so that she and Beth could visit. Davia had also given the boy a blueberry muffin made with wild blueberries that grew in the area, and a coveted cup of hot cocoa. Davia had brought some cocoa powder with her when they left Georgia, and she used it sparingly, but seeing Scottie she couldn't resist preparing the boy a cup. Once he lifted the warm liquid to his lips, she knew she had made the right decision as the boy let out an audible "Mmmm" upon trying it for the first time.

Beth and Davia got each other caught up on what was going on in their lives. Though it had taken Brad a good while to get comfortable enough in his relationship with Beth for them to finally become physical with each other, it had appeared that the damn had now burst and Beth couldn't get enough of him. "I had only been with Zach, and he was a boy, but Brad…he's a man. Tender, Caring, loving, and rugged all at the same time. He cares about my needs more than his own, and I don't think I will ever be the same after being with him." Beth admitted.

"That's how I feel about Daryl. He's so tender and caring when we are together Beth. I know people can't imagine him like that, but he really is. His surly demeanor isn't how Daryl really is. He cares so damn much about everyone else that I fear he will sacrifice himself to protecting someone." Davia told her friend.

"No doubt about that Davia, but his main goal is to protect you and the children first. He won't sacrifice his family for anyone else, and I think that is what prevents him from making bad decisions. He suffered a great deal at the hands of those men who took him, but instead of folding and giving into them, he stood strong so he could return to you. He doesn't just love you Davia... he worships and adores you. You…We…are lucky women." Beth said.

"That we are. I wish we never had to leave Georgia though. I always thought I wanted out, but now I would give anything to go back and be in our house again." Davia said.

"Maybe one day this nightmare will end, and we can all go home. Daddy can mind the farm with Glenn and Maggie, and Brad and I can build a house on the family land. We could raise our babies together and it can work out the way things were supposed to. I know it's not likely, but it's a dream I want to hold onto." Beth said, tears pooling in her big blue eyes.

"I hope so Bethy. There isn't anything I want more." Davia confessed.

"So, Tristan Lee Dixon huh? How much say did Daryl have in that name." Beth laughed.

"He picked out Lee." Davia giggled back to her friend.

"I figured as much." Beth replied as the two girls laughed out loud together. It had been so long since Davia had been able to have just girl time, and it felt great. For just a few hours she was able to forget about the nightmare of a world around them.

The two girls enjoyed their time together until Brad showed up to retrieve Beth. The way Brad's eyes lit up when he was with Beth took Davia's breath away. They were in love, and Davia knew how good it felt to be happy. Brad gave Beth a kiss and then tussled Scottie's hair as he took his family back to their cabin.

…

Early that morning Daryl, Zeek, and Will had left the camp with the six teenagers. Daryl had to admit that being out in the wild and away from the confines of the walls of the camp felt good. Daryl had always loved hunting, and after everything they had been through over the past months, this was as close to normal as he had felt in a long time.

After they had made it about two miles from the camp, Zeek stopped everyone and gave them some lessons on hunting in the Alaska wild. All of the kids stopped and checked their weapons as Zeek had instructed, and then he began going over the "what-ifs" that they needed to be alerted too. Mostly what to do if they were approached by either a Grizzly Bear or a Moose.

Each of the teens was armed with a regular gun that they were instructed to use only in the case of emergency. The sound of gunfire would attract the undead and they didn't want to risk drawing a herd down on them. Also, each of them either had a bow, or an air rifle. Zeek's girls each had a recurve bow, Duane and Sophia had the air rifles, and Carl and Benny both were sporting a compound bow. Will had been working with them for weeks showing them each how to properly handle and shoot the silent weapons, and both Carl and Benny had caught on quickly. Of course, Zeek's girls were very adept to handling their weapons and since Duane and Sophia had the least experience hunting, they were allowed to use the Air Rifles. Rick had found them amongst the stash of weapons in the camp, and felt that for hunting small game they would be perfect.

It didn't take long for the hunting excursion to turn into a boys versus girls competition. After about four hours, the girls had the most kills, but Benny had managed to take down a Caribou. Since no one had expected for anyone to take down a large game animal, Daryl had suggested that they tie a rope around the animal and suspend it so that nothing living or dead could get to it. It would be enough meat to feed the camp for a week, and field dressing the animal would be too dangerous and take too much time. Zeek agreed that they would return in a few hours to retrieve the animal and dress it back at camp behind the walls.

Daryl was actually smiling as he took a look at everyone in the hunting party. Sophia had killed six rabbits with her air rifle, and had them all tied around her belt. Carl had managed to take down three pheasants, and Daryl had to admit that the idea of pheasant for dinner made his mouth water. It was so rare that he came across a pheasant in Georgia that when he did finally see one, he would trade a deer he was tracking to take out the rare bird.

Duane, Enid, and Eliza had managed to take down several squirrels and Enid hit a goose, squealing with pleasure when she made her kill. All of the kids had managed to bring down quite a haul of meat and had a great time doing so. It was good to see them being able to relax and enjoy themselves, as was normal for kids their age. Even Zeek was smiling ear to ear seeing how much his girls were enjoying laughing and cutting up.

After a few hours the kids were exhausted and Zeek made the call to head back. Duane and Sophia had found a patch of wild blueberries and were filling their pockets with the sweet treat. It was then that Daryl heard the rustling in the bushes and looked up to see his worse nightmare. It was a Grizzly bear with two cubs. Immediately he caught everyone's attention and told them to stop and not move a muscle. He prayed that the animal hadn't heard or seen them, but it seemed unlikely. The bear was making her way towards the blueberries and Daryl knew he had to do something quick or Duane and Sophia were going to be in trouble.

He took one look at Sophia and saw the fear in her eyes. She was struggling to hold back her tears when Duane made a move to comfort the girl. That small movement alerted the bear, and the Grizzly stood up on her hind legs, and Daryl knew they were in trouble. The bear let out a blood-curdling growl and Sophia took off running. Duane tried to follow, but he was closer to the bear, and before Daryl could react before the bear attacked the young boy. Will fired his weapon and hit the bear between the eyes. The giant animal took a few more steps, then dropped dead in front of them.

Quickly, Daryl made his way over to Duane, but it was too late. The bear had gutted the child like a fish and all of the child's inner organs were exposed. Duane was still breathing…barely, but he was unable to speak.

Eliza began to scream "He's suffering, we have to do something."

Zeek, who was always full of hope, pleaded "Can we get him back and have Milton take a look at him?" Daryl looked up at Zeek and didn't have to respond verbally. Zeek could tell by the expression on Daryl's face that Duane was past the point of saving. He let out a defeated sigh. Daryl had a tough decision to make and he knew it. He didn't have to say it for Zeek and Will to understand. Daryl had to end Duane's suffering.

"Hey Kids, we gotta find Sophia" Zeek said, offering a distraction so that he could get the kids away from what Daryl was about to do.

Daryl knelt down beside the dying boy and reached out and took his hand into his own. "I'm so sorry Duane, this shouldn't have happened to you." Daryl whispered. He reached to his belt and pulled out his hunting knife, and with a trembling hand, he placed the knife swiftly into the base of Duane's brain, ending the boy's life swiftly. Daryl closed his eyes and tried desperately to hold back the sob from what he had just done, but he couldn't. "Why does this keep happening to me?" He asked to a nameless face in the sky. He felt his father's soothing hand on his shoulder and Daryl allowed the man to offer him the comfort he so desperately needed at the moment.

"Son, you aren't alone in this, I'm here for you." The man said to his son. Daryl nodded and gathered his composure while Will offered up a prayer for Duane, and then told Daryl to go join the others so that Will could prepare the body to take back to camp. They now needed to focus on finding Sophia.

Daryl heard shouts and found the group almost immediately. A herd of walkers had apparently heard the gunshot and was making it's way towards Zeek and the kids. Sophia was still missing and Zeek was directing each of the kids to find a tree and "Climb God Damnit."

The kids scrambled up the branches and were fortunate to make it up and out of the deadly reaches of the undead before anything could take a hold of them. Daryl counted the walkers and took notice that it was really only a group of twenty or so that had ascended upon them.

Lifting his crossbow, he took out the walker closest to Zeek, and then pulled out his hunting knife. With reckless abandon Daryl threw himself into the Malay of monsters and began to slash at anything that was moving. Zeek was yelling at him to step back, but Daryl heard none of it. All he saw at the moment was undead humans that had destroyed the world he missed desperately. These monsters threatened everything he held dear in life, his family, his friends, and his way of living. Anger was coursing through him at the moment and it wasn't until he heard his Father calling out for him that Daryl stopped and took a breath. He had single handedly taken three fourths of the walkers down himself, with Zeek and Carl taking out the remaining stragglers. Will had witnessed Daryl's anger and had thought about approaching his son to calm him down, but with Daryl's blinding fury, it was a dangerous move. Will had called out to his son for a good five minutes before Daryl finally acknowledged him. Probably the only thing that allowed Daryl to hear his father's voice was the fact there wasn't anything left to kill.

"Daryl, take a breath." Will said after noticing his son was close to hyperventilating. Daryl was covered in sweat and his hair hung limply into his face. There wasn't one part of Daryl that wasn't covered in the black blood of walkers and will reached into his pack and pulled out a towel. "Go over to the creek and wash up, If Sophia sees you like this it will terrify her. You like a walker right now."

Daryl's lungs were still burning from his physical exertion, but he took his fathers advice and headed to the creek while the others desperately searched for Sophia. He made his way over to the frigid running water and decided that as much of a mess as he was that it would be easier to just submerse himself in the creek. The cold water took his breath away, but it also helped him to feel cleansed. He stayed in the water for a good ten minutes before emerging cleaner, but soaking wet. He took the towel his father had given him and dried off. He now felt chilled, but the blood was mostly gone from his body and his clothes.

Daryl was about to head back to the group when he heard the leaves moving behind him. He quickly grabbed his crossbow, ready to take a shot. What he saw when he turned around was just about as devastating as what he just had to do with Duane. It was Sophia, limping and crying, a crescent shaped bite mark prominently showing on her shoulder.

"Sophia…baby, stay still and I'll come get you." He said as his stomach turned knowing that the bite she was sporting was lethal. Daryl made his way to the girl quickly and scooped her up in his arms. She was crying and kept apologizing over and over "I'm sorry Daryl, I forgot to drop the rabbits and those things kept chasing me."

"Shhh Sophia…save your strength so we can get you back to camp. You're momma is gonna wanna see ya." He said, trying not to let the panic in his voice show through. Daryl let out a low whistle, one he had been taught by Will many years earlier and then he stopped to see if he could hear a response. Sure enough Will had heard him and was now headed with the remaining group towards Daryl.

"Grab Duane's body and meet me back at camp. I've gotta get her to Milton just in case there is something…" But Daryl couldn't finish his sentence, because he knew there wasn't anything that Milton would be able to do for the teenage girl. Sophia was sniffling, but she was calm, and Daryl sensed she knew what would be happening to her shortly.

"Are you OK Sophia?" Daryl asked as he began running towards the camp.

"It hurts Daryl, and I'm cold, but that's OK. Is Duane OK?" She said weakly.

"Sorry Sophia, but Duane didn't make it. I know it hurts darling, I'm going as fast as I can to get you back. I'm sure Milton has something that will help with the pain." He assured her.

"Daryl, I know I'm gonna die, but please get me back so I can see my Momma one more time. She's gonna be sad after this and I want you to promise me you will keep her from being alone." Sophia sniveled.

How could a child this young be so caring and compassionate? Sophia was thirteen and had been through so much turmoil in her life. She had been subjected to Ed's evil and sadistic ways and yet she still continued to stand strong. She had found a friend in Duane, and he had left this world just a short time before.

"Sophia I am so sorry about all of this. You're momma warned us, and we talked her into still letting you go. This was a huge mistake on our part sweetheart, and I don't know what I can do to make it better." He said, tears threatening again. He wanted to kick himself in the ass for being so weak right now, but how was he supposed to handle this? What started out to be a great day had now turned into a nightmare.

"Daryl, don't blame yourself. I had a good day and all I want to do right now is see my mom and go to sleep." She said. Here was a young girl offering him absolution and he still couldn't stop blaming himself.

…

It took an hour to make it back to camp, and when he approached the gates T-dog could see that something was horribly wrong. Daryl wasn't with the rest of the group, but he knew they weren't far behind.

"What happened?" T shouted.

"I gotta get her to the clinic. A Grizzly bear and then a group of walkers attacked us. Sophia has been bit." Daryl shouted.

"Please say she was bit by the bear." T said with pleading eyes.

Daryl looked at the man and shook his head, and T-dog dropped his head. "Tell Davia I'm back and see if she can meet me at the clinic." Daryl instructed the man and T-dog nodded in affirmation.

Daryl burst through the clinic, exhausted but being fueled by adrenaline. The first person who met him was Carol, and when she saw Sophia she dropped to her knees screaming. Immediately Rosita, Milton, and Bob came rushing to the front of the clinic and Bob gently took Sophia from Daryl's arms and carried her to one of the waiting rooms. Before Daryl could even respond to Carol, the clinic door opened and Davia entered the room.

"Oh baby, what happened?" She said as she saw the state that Daryl was in.

Daryl didn't know whom to address first, so he just started to speak. "We had a Momma bear attack Duane, and Sophia took off running. The shot dad fired brought a herd of walkers down on the group. I took care of what I could while the others went after Sophia. I went to wash up, and she found me. Said she forgot to drop her kills and the scent attracted the walkers to her. I'm sorry Carol." Daryl said looking down at the floor.

"You're Sorry?" Carol said in disbelief. "You killed my daughter Daryl…her blood is on your hands along with Zeek and Will. I warned you not to take her, but said she would be fine. Does she seem fine to you now?" Carol was shouting.

Daryl felt like shit and he didn't blame Carol for her outburst. Davia started to defend Daryl, but he raised her hand signaling for her to say nothing. "You're right Carol…I can't say anything more about it. She wants to see you, so you can yell at me later because right now you're daughter needs you. She's more worried about you than herself."

Carol nodded and rushed to be with her dying daughter. It was a difficult moment, and Daryl knew that they now had to tell Morgan and Jenny that Duane didn't survive as well. "I can't do this anymore." Daryl rasped out.

"Come on Daryl, I'm taking you back home. The others were getting back as I headed down here and Zeek and Will can handle Morgan and Jenny. You can barely stand at the moment." She told him. She took his hand into hers and led her back to the cabin where Nora was keeping the baby.

When they got back to the cabin Daryl told his mother what had happened and told her that Will had been his saving grace. Nora volunteered to take Kat with her so that Davia could put Daryl back together again.

"Daryl you're freezing and covered in scratches. Please tell me it wasn't a walker that did this to you." She said, panic evident in her voice.

"Nah, the scratches came from the brambles I was running through." He told her.

Davia reached into the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Southern comfort. "I'm giving Kat bourbon for her pain, I figure you might could use this to relax. I'm pouring you a hot bath and then you are going eat and then lay down." She said authoritatively.

Daryl didn't argue. He took the glass she had prepared for him of the liquor and savored the warm feeling of it as it made it's way down his throat into his belly. It did relax him a bit, and by the time he had finished the drink, Davia had the bath prepared for him. She led him to the tub and stripped him naked. She then guided him into the tub and scrubbed him clean. The water was filthy by the time she was done, but Daryl was clean of any and all blood, and that was a small victory at the moment.

As she helped him get dressed she told him that he was going to tell her everything that happened. She wasn't going to allow him to keep any burdens to himself, and she knew that this time Will and Zeek along with the other kids were there as well. This time there wouldn't be any secrets that ate at Daryl's mind.

Davia fixed Daryl a pot of chili she had made and served him some cornbread to go with it. He was pushing the food around in the bowl but not eating, his mind was everywhere but where it needed it to be.

"Eat Daryl, you need your strength. This is going to be a trying couple of days and you need to be strong for everyone. Whether you like it or not you are one of the leaders of this group, and people need to see your strength." She commanded.

He wasn't hungry, but he knew she was right. He ate his dinner and then told her all of the details of what had happened, including his vengeance on the group of walkers and his emotional breakdown after being forced to put down Duane. He didn't leave out a single detail, and he had to admit, if did make him feel better for her to know.

"Daryl, Sophia was right…this wasn't anyone's fault. It's horrible what happened, but it could have been worse. We could have lost all of you. Duane and Sophia didn't deserve what happened to him, but that is what life is these days. It's going to hurt for a while, but all death hurts. Just promise me you won't blame yourself for this." She pleaded with him.

"I'll try. It's the best I can offer right now" He told her. She took his hand and led him to bed. "You're gonna rest Daryl, and tomorrow we will deal with all of this" She said as she laid him down and snuggled into him, allowing him to feel his kicking son against his back.

…

The next day was probably the most difficult that the camp had ever had to deal with. Morgan and Jenny, though devastated, took the news of Duane's death better than anyone would have expected. They didn't blame anyone and Jenny actually offered comfort to the men, telling them that at least her son died with dignity and didn't suffer. She pulled Daryl to the side and told him how much she appreciated him ending Duane's suffering, and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Please don't let it haunt you Daryl…what you did was merciful." She told him, giving him a sad but comforting smile.

Sophia had passed away peacefully during the night. Carol was not handling her daughter's death well and Rick convinced Milton to sedate her. It was a difficult decision, but Carol was spiraling out of control. Dale stayed by her side the entire time, and refused to allow them to have a memorial service until Carol was able to attend.

When Carol finally came around she asked if Duane and Sophia could be buried together. Carol told them that Sophia's greatest fear was to be by herself, and Jenny and Morgan both agreed that it would be a kind gesture. The memorial service was emotional, but it allowed everyone to grieve and comfort each other. After it was over everyone separated into his or her individual family units. It seemed that the most important thing at this time was that everyone grieves in his or her own way.

Daryl was sitting out on the porch with Davia while he rocked Kat to sleep. She was fussy again and Davia was exhausted, so he was doing his best to help. Rick had been pretty MIA since Judith's birth and Daryl could relate to what his stepsister and Rick were dealing with. If anything had happened to Carl on the botched hunting trip, Daryl didn't know what Rick would have done. Rick was wound tightly these days, and the stress of leading the camp was taking its toll on him. Daryl just wished there were more things he could do to help out. But now he had his own family to take care of, and no matter what they came first.

Daryl and Davia were brought out of their relative calm by shouting coming from his Mother's porch. It was Cesar's voice booming across the camp that caused the hairs on the back of Daryl's neck to stand up. There was a quality in Cesar's voice that put Daryl on alarm.

"How could you do this to me Nora? Did you think that I didn't know what was going on? I could see it in your eyes every time you looked at him." The Hispanic man shouted.

"Cesar nothing was going on, he wouldn't allow it until I was honest with you." She shouted back.

"Honesty? That's a novel concept, especially for you Nora. You've done nothing but live a lie since I have met you. I should have known that if you were willing to cheat on Blake you would cheat on me too." He screamed.

"You can't compare the two situations at all Cesar and you know it. As I recall, you were the one that pursued me, and you know that my marriage to Philip was nothing but a sham. I was his to parade around…what I felt for you was real, but you have been pulling away from me, and you are no longer the person I fell in love with." She retorted.

"Pulling away from you? Do you not understand what happened with Karen?" He replied.

"I do Cesar, and I know you have felt incredibly guilty about it, but how could I help you if you wouldn't talk about it?" She pleaded.

"You know something Nora, you just don't get it do you? You are nothing but a two bit whore who played me like a fool." Cesar's words were biting and when Benny heard the man insult his mother, he quickly attacked the man who had been acting as his surrogate father.

Benny was much smaller than Cesar, but when his anger got the better of him, he was a force to reckon with. Fists were flying and Benny was cursing up a storm at the man…

Will and Daryl quickly ran over to separate the two men, with Will pulling Benny away and Daryl pulling away Cesar. Upon seeing Will, Cesar snapped and broke away from Daryl, slugging Will directly in the jaw. Daryl quickly jerked the man away from his father and sent Cesar to the ground. It was then that Daryl noticed a serrated bladed knife that fell out of Cesar's boot. A light went off in Daryl's head.

"Martinez do want to tell us just exactly happened with Karen?" Daryl said in a low and growling voice. Will and Nora were speechless as they realized what Daryl was implicating.

"He promised to give me my life back if I told them where she was…Karen found me and I had to react. Wrong place at the wrong time for her…casualty of war I guess you could say." Cesar said, almost relieved to be getting the lies off of his chest.

"Cesar, what did you do?" Nora screamed. It was at that moment that they heard the helicopters and the first explosion hit the camp.

**OK Guys, I had to split this chapter up. The song Davia was singing is "Soulshine" By Gov't Mule, and I highly recommend it for your listening pleasure. **

**So here is the deal, I'm leaving for California this week and I don't know if I will be able to update or not. I will have my work computer and I will try to write in my spare time, but in all honesty, I don't know how much free time I will have.**

**Maybe a few dozen reviews might help inspire me though LOL. Seriously, I live for each and everyone of your reviews. They make my day, night, and week. I've got the remaining part of this story worked out, and then I will start on Part 2.**

**Curious to know what you think about Cesar doing what he did...some of you had caught on that it was him that was the traitor in the group. Will he live or die at this point though?**

**So with all that being said, I hope to put up another chapter this week, but I won't make any promises. And then the weekend after this...well we all know what that is...TWD Season 6 premier...All I know is that in Season 6 we will get a shirtless Daryl (Unless those scenes get edited out).**

**Love ya'll and thanks so much for all the support.**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	48. Chapter 48

**Wow...it's been a long time...lots of death in this chappie, and it's a bit shorter than usual, but I needed a good stopping point.**

They heard the explosions first and then seconds later they felt them. Daryl screamed out for his mother to grab Benny and Davia and head for the woods. Right now, the camp was ground zero and Daryl had to make sure his family was out of the area.

Chaos was breaking out everywhere. The clinic was on fire, soldiers were pouring in and helicopters were landing. People were running in all directions. Daryl felt intense heat as he watched the clinic explode into what seemed like a thousand pieces. He had his crossbow and a handgun and was taking down every single soldier he saw. Cesar had brought hellfire down on them, and their odds of surviving didn't look good.

Nora ran full speed into Davia's cabin and yelled for her to grab the baby and for them to run into the trees for protection. Davia had just enough time to grab a blanket and swaddle Kat as she followed her mother-in-law and Benny and they ran with everything they could into the forest that surrounded the camp. They could smell the burning debris and they could hear the screams of their camp mates, but they had to keep running.

"Daryl?" Davia screamed at Nora.

"He stayed back, but said he would find us. Keep going Davia, we have to survive this." Nora yelled.

Benny stopped to catch his breath as his Asthma was kicking in. "I-I've got to go back to help out. I don't need to be running like a coward."

"No, Daryl said to take you away from the camp. They are here for us Benny and unless you want to go back to your father, you will do what Daryl said." Nora warned.

"Anyone have any weapons?" Benny asked. They all looked at each other but no one spoke. The situation was bad, and they were now out in the open and unarmed.

"Let's keep going and wait for Daryl to find us." Davia said.

"You really think he's going to survive what is going on in the camp?" Benny asked in a serious tone.

"Daryl will survive anything to get back to Kat and me. He'll be fine." Davia told him in a matter of fact voice.

They continued on into the woods and Nora heard a sound behind them. She turned to see three armed soldiers.

"Ms. Blake and Benton, there is someone who is very eager to get you back home. Please follow me and no one gets hurt." The soldier said. Nora attempted to grab Benny and run, but she was quickly grabbed up by that soldier and another beside him. Davia pulled Kat into her chest and tried to run, but she was taken down by two more additional soldiers, falling to the ground and using everything in her power to protect the child and her belly from being crushed by her body weight.

"Take them to the chopper, we will bring them back to President Blake." The man who appeared in charge replied. Knowing they were out numbered and outgunned, Benny, Nora, and Davia allowed the soldiers to lead them to one of the helicopters.

…

The camp was being decimated by the attack and their wasn't anything that Daryl or anyone else could do about it. They had been caught off guard, and now they were paying the price. Fire was spreading within the walls and Walkers were beginning to pour in through the front gate, which had been taken down by a tank.

Daryl's eyes were burning as tear gas had been dropped and he was struggling to see. He knew he had to find his family, but with the walkers, soldiers, and smoke filled area, he was losing his bearings.

Rick saw Daryl and shouted "Where's Davia and Nora?"

"I sent them into the woods." Daryl replied through the chaos.

"Go get them. I heard a helicopter land in that direction. We can't spare anyone else to go with you, so it's up to you." Rick told him. Daryl nodded and did his best to find his way to the woods where he had last seen the women and Benny headed.

Daryl was running so fast that his legs were burning. It didn't take him long to find the tracks of his family and he followed them to a clearing. His stomach dropped when he found the area where a scuffle had taken place earlier, and it was obvious that soldiers had taken them. He heard the whirl of helicopter blades and moved rapidly towards the sound. He got there just in time to see soldiers shoving Benny, and then Nora and Davia into the chopper. Daryl pulled out his gun and went to fire, attempting to take out the soldiers that were manhandling his mother, and wife, but the gun was empty. All Daryl had left on him was a knife that wouldn't do any good, and his crossbow. That meant he had one shot. Now he had a decision to make…whom did he save? The only thing he could hear was Merle saying "You're gonna have to make hard choices."

Swallowing hard and with shaking hands Daryl took the shot, instantly killing the soldier that was forcing Davia into the helicopter. It caused enough of a distraction that it allowed Davia to jump from the machine carrying a screaming Kat and she ran with everything she had.

The soldier in charge began shouting "Get us up now, we are under attack. We've got the wife and son, and that's enough. The girl is not who we were after."

Daryl stayed low and headed in the direction that Davia had headed. He felt sick. His fucking crossbow only allowed him one shot, and he had to choose. He wasn't sure if he had just condemned his mother and brother to death, but he knew he had to save Davia, Kat, and his unborn son. It was a horrific choice he had to make, but it was the only choice he had.

The radio transmissions were directing the group of soldiers to leave immediately, but the damage was done already. Daryl was devastated about the decision he was forced to make, but he just prayed that Blake wouldn't kill them. After all, Blake had made public pleas that all he wanted was "his family back…safely."

Davia had been running fast as she could, and when she heard footsteps behind her, she turned in terror only to have those fears relieved when she saw it was Daryl. Davia collapsed to her knees, sobbing and feeling both a sense of relief and a sense of guilt.

Daryl ran to his wife's side and scooped the baby from her, while still pulling her into his body. "Shhh baby…you're OK. We're gonna be OK." He told her trying to reassure her.

"The Camp?" She asked.

"It's a mess. I don't know what's left, but it wasn't much. Are you hurt?" He asked her as he stood her up and began to examine her.

"I'm fine Daryl. Just scared." She confessed.

"The baby?" He asked.

"I think everything is OK. We might want to see Milton just to confirm." She told him.

Daryl looked down at the ground and Davia sensed something was wrong. "Milton?" She asked.

"The clinic was obliterated, I don't think Bob or Milton survived. We need to get back to camp and see what we can salvage." Daryl told her.

Davia nodded and Daryl helped her up, keeping her body close to his as he held Kat tightly. He led them through the woods back to the camp, not quite sure what they were going to find.

…

The camp was in shambles. Maggie and Glenn had operated like a tag team taking out as many soldiers as they could, but it wasn't a dent in the number that had attacked them. Now they were focused on taking out walkers that had breached the main gate. Daryl ran quickly to help an injured Abe, Zeek, Sasha, and Carol attempt to move what vehicles they had left to block the entrance.

Beth and Corrine were screaming, trying desperately to get into the ruins that was the main lodge house. It had taken a direct hit and three-fourths of the building was completely flattened. Before the bomb exploded, Dale, T-dog, and Brad had been inside trying to make radio contact with the base in Anchorage.

Davia took in what was going on around the camp and none of it was good. Rick was shouting commands, and Davia could see that Rick's right eye was nearly swollen shut and his knuckles were bloody. Carl was flanking his father and they were desperately searching for Judith. When the attack had happened Michonne had taken the child, but had been grabbed by a soldier who pulled the baby from her arms. Now they were frantic to find the little girl. It didn't take them long to find Eugene kneeling beside a dead soldier with a bullet wound between his eyes, holding the baby girl. Apparently Eugene had been hell bent on protecting Judith and when he saw the soldier grab the child from Michonne, he used the gun Tara had given him and shot the man point blank. He now stood in shock at taking another life, but cradled the tiny infant close to him.

Rick made his way over to Eugene and thanked the man. "Can you keep an eye on her while we try to figure out what we are dealing here with?"

Eugene nodded, and Rick walked away with his son, but not before giving Eugene a friendly and comforting pat on the shoulder.

Michonne was making quick work of walkers that were still wandering the camp while Sasha was on her knees sobbing over her brother's body. Tyreese had taken a stand against the men, only to be cut down after he killed four soldiers. Davia's heart sank as she realized that Sasha had not only lost her brother, but she had lost her lover as well. The clinic was just as Daryl had described it, completely decimated. Anyone who had been inside had no chance of surviving and Davia couldn't get the thought out of the back of her head that with Milton's death, she lost any chance of professional prenatal care.

Davia was brought out of her thoughts as she heard Beth screaming Brad's name. Before she could respond she felt Daryl's arms come around her. "Go back to the cabin…it's still in one piece. Dad and Mom's cabin is standing too. See if you can put together some food for everyone, it's gonna be a long night. Zeek is sending Ingrid to help you."

"OK…anything I can do to help, it looks like a lot of people are wounded, where are we going to treat them…and who is going to treat them?" Davia asked.

"Rosita, Carol, and Maggie are setting up Tara and Liesel's cabin as a medical Triage. I can't find my dad and I'm worried." Daryl admitted to her.

"Do you need me to help you find him? What if… Oh Daryl, God I'm so sorry your mom was taken and now your dad is missing." Davia said raising her hand to her mouth to cover up the sob that was slipping out.

"No baby girl, you can't worry about it. Leave that to me. Just go back to the cabin with Kat and take it easy. See if you can find Eugene, he has Judith and I'm sure he needs some help." He told her.

"Daryl, what are we going to do? We can't stay here." She said in a voice full of fear.

"We'll figure it out, but I don't know yet. Most likely we will head to Anchorage." Daryl informed her.

"How far is that?" She asked.

"About two hundred miles, but I don't know if we have many options. I know the military base is still operating, but I just don't know to what capacity. We don't even know how many working vehicles we still have. I'll be honest with you, it's a mess." He told her sadly.

"Please be careful out there Daryl, I know a lot of the buildings are no longer steady, and from hearing Beth's shouts I think some people are trapped in the main lodge." Davia said.

"I'm going over there now. I know Brad and T-dog are still alive, but no one has heard anything from Dale. T sounds bad and we don't know if time is on our side. Zeek is freaking out."

Davia nodded and gave him a kiss. She parted ways with him and began to call out for Eugene. He answered and she went over to him and convinced him to bring Judith back to the cabin so they could feed and change her. He agreed and they headed to the cabin.

…

Daryl, Zeek, and Rick used all their strength to move the collapsed wood and steel that previously made up the main lodge. Brad was stuck under the debris with T-dog and Dale, and presently he was the only one in verbal communication. He told them he was pinned down with a piece of steel and was unable to move his right arm and shoulder. Once Beth heard Brad's voice, she had jumped into help remove what she could. Scottie had tried desperately to help, but Hershel was keeping the little boy at bay. The older man had a bleeding leg wound but was putting off treatment until he knew that Brad was safe.

It took them near to an hour to get the collapsed material moved to the point that they could reach the men trapped inside. Daryl's heart was beating rapidly, terrified that his father could be inside of the destroyed building. It wasn't like Will to just disappear like this and that is what had Daryl so worried.

The closer they got to Brad, the more they could hear the excruciating pain in his voice. Beth was digging so quickly through the debris that her hands were now covered in blood. Daryl saw this and placed his hand on her shoulder to get her attention. "Beth, it ain't gonna do him any good if you are hurt too. Why don't you step back and let us handle this. Brad won't forgive me if anything happens to you."

Beth's beautiful blue eyes were pooling with tears "Daryl, I can't lose him."

"You won't girl, I promise." He told her, trying his best to comfort the younger girl.

Finally, after a hell of a lot of digging and moving of wood and steel, they reached Brad. Beth let out a yelp when she saw the steel that had gone completely through his shoulder and the blood pooling around him. Rick took one look and knew they had a problem.

Hershel spoke up "Don't move him just yet, that steel is keeping him from bleeding out. I may be a vet, but I know enough about treating people to know that we have to get him somewhere to stabilize him and then we remove the steel surgically. I've done it before on animals, but never a human, but I'm willing to try. It's his only chance."

Brad replied weakly "Just do what you gotta doc…I trust ya." By now Beth was crouched down beside him, covered in debris herself and holding his good hand tightly. Glenn had joined the group in trying to get to T-dog and Dale and Maggie had opted to take Scottie away from the chaos and confusion. Daryl yelled out to her and told her to take Scottie to Davia. Right now, if Davia stayed at the cabin and helped with the kids and the preparing of food for the group he knew she was momentarily safe.

By the time they had reached Dale and T-dog it was too late. It was obvious that Dale had died instantly, his head was smashed and there was no chance of survival. T-dog had been alive for a short while, but with the amount of time it had taken to get to his battered body, he wasn't able to hold on. Zeek pulled out his hunting knife and eliminated any chance of T-dog rising again. Corrine was not taking the news well and Ingrid and Scarlett were doing their best of trying to comfort the girl. The look of loss on both Ingrid and Zeek's face was unavoidable. To them, T-dog was the son they never had and his death was going to weigh heavily on them for a long time.

It was decided that the best way to move Brad was too cut the steel in as small of pieces as they could, and then move him to the makeshift medical center. Carol and Rosita were doing everything they could to convert the cabin to an area safe enough to perform surgery while Tara and Liesel were going through the ruins of the medical clinic to locate any types of supplies that had survived. They found that one storage room in the back had survived pretty much intact and were able to retrieve some IV's, meds, and bandages along with suture kits and other general medical supplies. For now, it was a lifesaver. Unfortunately it also meant that Hershel was now the doctor for the group. Not that Hershel wasn't capable of treating humans, but his expertise was animals, not humans, and he was the first to admit that he was nervous.

When they had Brad to a point where it was safe to move him, they took him to the cabin so that Hershel could remove the shrapnel and treat the wound while praying that Brad would survive. Daryl took the opportunity to split off from the group so that he could try to find his father.

Daryl went back to the last place he had seen his father, and that was at his mother's cabin. Daryl's chest burned at the thought of his mother and brother being taken back by Blake. He made a promise to himself then and there that he would do whatever it took to get them back. He hoped he would have some help, but if no one was willing to take that risk (which Daryl fully understood) then he would do it himself.

The first thing Daryl did was pinpoint the spot where the scuffle between Cesar and his father had started, and Daryl was able to pick up his father's trail. He began to follow it and then lost it quickly. Daryl kept his eyes on the ground and as he got closer to the barn he picked up his father's tracks again, this time it appeared his father was following a second set of prints. Daryl rushed into the barn to find his father sitting up against one of walls holding his hand to a bloody wound in his side. When Will looked at his father, Will immediately yelled at him to run, but it was too late. Cesar jumped Daryl from behind and took him to the ground.

Daryl began to fight against the wiry man, and it appeared that he had the upper hand, until Cesar pulled out the serrated knife and began to slash at Daryl. The first contact the knife made was against Daryl's forearm, breaking the skin but not cutting deeply.

"You fucking son of a bitch. You risked my family's lives and Dixon's don't take to kindly to that." Daryl said as he struggled to get the knife away from Cesar.

"You're mother was nothing but a slut who used me and seduced me to get what she wanted. If I had never listened to her I wouldn't have lost my sister and I would be sitting pretty right now. I gave up everything for her, and she threw it away to be with the no good loser who pushed her away in the first place." Cesar shouted while using all of his weight to throw Daryl over onto his back, knocking the breath out of him.

Now that Cesar had the upper hand he began to pummel Daryl into the ground. Daryl was fighting with everything he had to throw the man off of him, but the Hispanic was fighting with a blinding rage.

"Why are you still here?" Daryl asked as he landed a punch to the man's gut. Daryl hoped maybe he could distract him long enough to maneuver his body back in a dominant position, but instead it seemed to send Martinez into an even more blinding rage.

"Blake used me too…he had no intention of bringing me back, so as soon as I am done killing you and your father, then I am out of this God Forsaken place, and I will kill any other mother fucker who tries to stop me." Cesar yelled.

Daryl was quickly becoming exhausted from keeping Martinez at bay and he felt his body becoming weaker. Blood was running down his arm from the wound, and it was making it difficult to get a grip on the other man's body. Daryl saw the knife come up and slash down at his neck, and he knew he was in trouble. Suddenly, Martinez's body dropped on to of him and Daryl looked up to see his father standing over the now dead man with a pitchfork.

"Worthless piece of shit." Will mumbled under his breath, and Daryl had a horrific flashback to his early teen years. There had been so many times in the past that Daryl had heard his father make that same statement…and use that cold tone.

Daryl got up and began to assess his father's wound. "We need to get you some treatment. I'm not sure how serious the wound is."

"It's fine…I've had worse. Been more than one time that I ended up on the other end of broken bottle." Will mused.

"Shut up old man, and let me get you treatment. It looks pretty deep, and you weren't leaned up against that wall because you were tired. I need you to be honest with me and lift up your shirt." Daryl commanded his father.

Will huffed, and lifted his shirt, revealing a deep knife wound not unlike the one Daryl had received from Merle almost nine months earlier. What had Daryl worried more than anything was the blank look on his father's face. It was as if his dad had lost all of his faith the moment that Nora had been taken from him.

Daryl then spoke softly to his father "Don't do this…don't go back to who you were. You need that faith you have now more than ever…we all need it. We'll get her back, but I don't need you going off and doing anything stupid. I need you, and your other family needs you too. Michonne, Davia, Kat…and your unborn grandson all need you to be strong. Please…"

Will heard his youngest son's request, and it seemed to have resonated with him. Daryl was right, what good would it do to slip back to the monster he had been? He would do absolutely no one any good in that condition, and the look on Daryl's face was a mixture of desperation and fear. He couldn't do this to his family…not again.

"Let's get this patched up. Do you mind if I have a moment for some prayer?" Will asked in a tentative voice.

"Nah…I might join you myself. We need all the help we can get right now, because our world is a mess and no one knows what to do next." Daryl admitted.

Will took his son's hand in his own and they both closed their eyes as Will led them in prayer. It seemed to calm both men and Daryl hoped it would be a start of things improving, because right now they couldn't get much worse. Daryl offered up his own silent prayer "Hey JC…we really could use some help right now."

…

After things had settled down a bit, what had happened to the camp had been costly. Nora and Benny had been taken and there wasn't a quick solution to getting them back. They had lost Milton, Bob, Tyreese, Dale, and Jenny and Morgan was not doing a good job of holding it together after losing his wife and son so close together. Carol, on the other hand had become focused and was acting as if she never had a daughter or a close friendship with Dale. She instead, was flanking Hershel, helping out any way she could in the clinic. Daryl couldn't put his finger on it, but he didn't get a good feeling about Carol. To him, she was an over loaded keg of dynamite…ready to blow at any moment.

Eugene had seemed to have found a sense of purpose in helping to protect little Judith. Rick had thanked him over and over again for saving the little girl, and it seemed that Rick and Carl's opinion had changed favorably towards the strange man. One thing was for certain and that was that Eugene did know how to handle a weapon, and if push came to shove, he would do it again and again to protect that little girl.

Many in the group were injured and Hershel was running himself ragged treating all of them. Beth, Maggie, Carol, and Rosita were doing all they could to help out, as well as Rick who had limited First Responder's training. Brad had the most serious of the injuries, and Hershel had done his best to remove the steel from his shoulder and re-stitch the nerves and damaged muscles. It had taken three hours to get him stable and the bleeding to stop, but he had done it successfully. He now had Brad on an anti-biotic drip, but knew that with limited supplies if anything else happened to the camp, they would be at a loss.

Abe and Hershel himself had been wounded, but Carol and Rosita were able to easily take care of the injuries. Maggie had offered to stitch up Daryl's arm, but he refused and insisted they save the sutures for more serious injuries. Liesel and Tara had some bruises from being at the front gate when it was attacked, but they both knew they were lucky and that their injuries weren't any worse.

Will had probably the most luck of anyone. Maybe there was something to all the faith that he had. As bad as the wound looked, it only cut through a few layers of skin, not injuring any organs or major muscles. Hershel had sterilized, applied medical glue, and then bound Will's wound tightly. He would be fine with a few days rest, but sore and uncomfortable.

The camp had all but been destroyed. Only four cabins had survived the attack. Ironically it was Will's, Nora's, and Daryl's along with Liesel and Tara's that was now being used as a makeshift hospital. The barn had survived as well as the animals, but for all intents and purposes the camp was no longer a place they could live. They had most of their supplies, and there were too many of them to live in four small cabins. They needed to re-think their future, and those decisions needed to be made sooner rather than later.

As the sun began to rise, Gabriel led a solemn funeral mass for those they had lost. The grief in the camp was overwhelming, and the morale was at an all time low. When the service was over, Rick led everyone to Daryl and Davia's cabin where she and Eugene began to dish out a hot stew to serve everyone. They needed sleep, but they also needed answers, and now was as good of time as any to come up with a plan.

Rick began to address the survivors "I know we seem like we are at our lowest point, but we are still alive and we have to make a decision as to what our next move should be."

Sasha was the first to speak "How can you even think about what our next move should be when we have sick and injured who aren't even close to being ready to move."

"We'll make do the best we can Sasha. I know you are grieving, but you have to hear this out. We can't stay here…not like this." Rick pleaded with her.

"You have no idea what I'm feeling. I lost my brother and the love of my life in a matter of moments, and right now I'm not even sure I want to go on…so please, tell me what I'm feeling again?" Sasha shouted at Rick as she crumpled into a mass of sobbing tears.

Maggie quickly ran to her side "Come on Sasha, let's get some air." Maggie then led the broken Sasha outside so she could calm down.

Rick got control of the conversation again and began to speak once more "We have some hard decisions to make and I'd like to hear any suggestions that anyone has."

Daryl, who hated speaking in large groups cleared his throat. Merle's voice was playing over in his head over and over again. "We need to make the trip to Anchorage, the last we knew the military base there was still operating and they would be our best shot of making it."

"We don't know if Blake could have taken control of the base." Glenn said hesitantly.

"It would cost him too much to try to take control…Alaska is too far away to waste the manpower trying to take control. The oil here isn't any good to anyone without working refineries, and those are all in the South. My guess is he has taken my mother and brother and has them back safely in DC." Daryl said confidently.

"Anchorage is two hundred miles from here, and it takes five to six hours under the best conditions. It would be a difficult trip at best." Abraham said.

"True enough, but we don't have many options. We won't make it another winter here like this. Last winter was mild, and it was hard enough. Without a doctor or proper supplies we are pretty much fucked." Daryl said.

Zeek then spoke "We have six vehicles remaining, and enough fuel left at my homestead to make the trip. We take what supplies we can and I lead the way. I know a few back roads that will help us avoid the cities and we go from there. Daryl is right, it's all we can do."

Hershel then spoke "Brad needs constant medical care and we should wait a few days before we leave. Right now it's too dangerous to move him."

Rick replied "Hershel, with all due respect we don't have a few days. We don't know if Blake might return exacting revenge…and if we are still here we are pretty much all dead."

"Then when would we leave?" Carol asked.

"Well…it's morning now. We can spend the rest of the day getting our injured stable and loading up any supplies we can take with us. Zeek and Daryl can prepare the vehicles and we can leave out in the morning. Zeek how long do you think it will take us?" Rick asked.

"Three days max. If the roads are clear we can make it in one." Zeek assured the group.

"I don't like it Rick, not one bit, but it appears we don't have any other options." Hershel said.

"Sun up tomorrow morning we all need to be prepared to leave." Rick said.

Daryl was not sure what this trip would bring to the group, but Merle had been warning him for a while that they would need to leave, and now it appeared that Merle had been right. It wasn't going to be an easy trip to have everyone crammed into the vehicles, but it was only two hundred miles, not two thousand. They would have to make do. Daryl wouldn't admit it, but right now his biggest concern was not only helping to get his mother and brother back, but getting Davia and Kat to safety, and finding a place for Davia to deliver their son. He wasn't sure what the future would bring, but right now Anchorage was their best start.

**OK...this might not have been one of my best chappies, and I apologize. I have so much going on in my head, but its sometimes hard to get it all down into print. Thoughts?**

**Please drop me a review. I apologize again for the long wait, but I was working my tail off in California for ten days, so I didn't get a chance to write or update. Thoughts on the Season 6 premier? I'd love to hear your opinions.**

**Please Please Please leave me a review! I need some inspiration to get through these last few chapters. Just a reminder, I have a poll on my page to determine what story I update next, just let me know...**

**Take care and thanks for your patience!**

**Hugs and Kisses-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	49. Chapter 49

**Sorry for the long wait...**

The exhausted group began making preparations for their departure. The mood was somber and no one was smiling. There were no guarantees that making it to the military base in Anchorage was going to be the answer to their problems, but right now it was their only chance. The camp was too badly damaged and their supplies were too diminished to even begin to think about staying. The crops that they had planted were gone, and it was too late in the growing season to begin anew. They had to leave, and that was an unsettling prospect at the moment.

Daryl found himself working on one of the vehicles with Liesel. He and Zeek's daughter didn't interact too much in the past, so there was an awkward silence between the two until Liesel finally spoke up.

"You know my father thinks the world of you. Before all of this, I was the closest thing he had to a son, but I think he sees you as his adopted son." She said, giving a small laugh.

"I think a lot of him and your momma. Your momma has treated Davia like a daughter, and she really needs that. She didn't grow up with any family and that hurt her deeply and your momma has given her the love she missed out on. For that I will be forever grateful to your parents. You and your sister's ain't so bad either." Daryl said.

Liesel let out a louder laugh this time. "Well thanks for the sort of compliment Mr. Dixon."

"My pleasure." Daryl said in a deadpan voice.

Liesel then cleared her throat "We're really leaving here…aren't we?"

"Have too, ain't nothing left for us." Daryl said. He noticed a look on Liesel's face that he had only seen a few times before…sadness.

"You know coming up I wanted to leave home so badly…go to the lower forty eight and live somewhere that people like me don't get judged…and now…now I just want to stay here where I grew up. This is all I know, and it's all gone now. Life's kind of ironic…isn't it?" She said to Daryl.

"I've learned everything changes in life, it's how you accept those changes that determines how things will turn out. You've got your family…all of _US_, and WE'LL be fine." Daryl said, giving the woman a pat on the shoulder.

…

The remainder of the day was spent gathering supplies from what was left of the buildings in the camp. Tara, Scarlet, Morgan, and Gabriel went through the ruins of the bunkhouse and were able to gather up enough food for about a week. Rosita, Maggie, and Sasha were able to scavenge a few more medical supplies from the clinic, while Zeek, Daryl, Abe, and Rick made a trip to the remains of Zeek's homestead to retrieve anything they could. They found a pull behind trailer and plenty of gas for all six vehicles to make it to Anchorage.

Davia, Ingrid, and a grieving Corrine spent the remaining part of the day preparing meals and watching after the children. Scottie had pulled inward and Davia was doing everything she could to comfort the little boy and assure him that his adopted Daddy would be OK with some rest. She had even gone so far as to prepare him another coveted cup of Hot Cocoa in hopes to bring up his spirits, but the child was perceptive and knew that there were no guarantees as far as Brad's recovery was concerned.

After Hershel had worked on Brad, he hadn't regained consciousness, and Beth had refused to leave his side. Carol promised to help keep an eye on him so Hershel could rest up his leg. Because of Brad's injuries, Zeek opted to put the camper over the bed of his truck so that Brad could rest and Beth and Hershel could tend to him while they made their way to Anchorage. It would have been difficult for Brad to sit upright in a cramped vehicle in his condition. With the addition of the trailer they had found on his property, they would be able to carry what supplies they had in the trailer, leaving the bed of the truck available for Brad and his caretakers.

As the sun was setting and Day was becoming night, Daryl found Davia and Will and asked for their help going through Nora and Benny's personal belongings. He didn't know when he would see them again, but he was certain that he would and he wanted them to have what belonged to them. Daryl's guilt over the whole situation was eating at him, and he had made a decision to give up his crossbow as his primary weapon. Zeek had given him two Sig Sauer P938 Blackwoods and he would use one and give the other to Davia for her protection as well. Along with a few extra magazines and ammunition, he knew he would no longer be limited to a single shot. He would carry a machete from now on that would allow silent kills, but the crossbow just had one too many bad memories associated with it to use anymore.

They entered the cabin, knowing it would be used for sleeping later on that night, and Daryl first made his way quickly towards the room where Benny slept. It didn't take long before he found Benny's sketchbook. Daryl had never really taken the time to look at Benny's sketches, but he suddenly found himself going through the images on the pages.

Benny had captured the key moments of their lives for the past six months. The first sketch he came across was one of Davia rocking Kat to sleep on the porch of their cabin. The detail in the drawing was exquisite and not only did Benny capture Davia's beauty, but he managed to capture the emotion and the tenderness of the moment as well. Even the serene expression on little Kat's face as she slept soundly in her mother's arms. Daryl had no idea how much talent Benny had possessed, and now he felt a little bit of a fool for not noticing it earlier.

He continued to thumb through the drawings in his brother's portfolio and soon found himself sitting on his brother's bed, completely forgetting what his original task was supposed to be. There was a sketch of Daryl showing his crossbow to little Scottie and the intense look on Scottie's face was spot on. There was another drawing of Nora and Will, enjoying a cup of coffee, and laughing about better times. He flipped through a few more drawings and found a portrait of Sophia, and then an image of Sophia and Duane running hand in hand across the camp. He pulled both of those out of the book and decided there was something meaningful that could be done with those drawings.

There wasn't anything or anyone in the camp missed in Benny's sketches, and Daryl found himself overwhelmed with yet another strong wave of guilt. He let out a slew of profanities, and finished it off with slipping off of Benny's bed and onto the floor. He was alone and he no longer could hold back the grief of everything that had happened, and all of those they had lost. He hated Alaska, and he wanted nothing more than to take his family and return home. Daryl dropped his head between his knees and began to sob, trying desperately to come up with a plan to get his family home and to find a way to rescue his brother and his mother. Unfortunately, with the world in the shape it was these days, neither of those tasks seemed possible.

Davia and Will both heard Daryl's tirade and Davia quickly headed towards Benny's room. Will caught her before she entered "Let me handle this sweetheart…this might be something handled man to man and he may not want you to see him like this."

"OK, but if you need me, please let me know." She said, believing Will might be right. Daryl was a prideful man, and even though Davia had seen him at his lowest point, he may not want her to see him having a melt down. To be honest, Davia was relieved that he was letting out some of his anger…keeping it bottled up was going to kill him.

Will approached his son quietly and sat down on the floor beside him. His knees cracked as he maneuvered himself into a somewhat comfortable position. For the first time in his life that he could remember, Will tenderly reached his hand out and placed it on Daryl's back, just below his neck. He immediately felt his youngest son's body stiffen. Even after all these years, Daryl still involuntarily pulled away from any type of physical contact, especially from Will. That reaction cut Will to the core, knowing he was the reason his son struggled with affection.

"Daryl I don't want you to say anything, I just want you to listen." Will said in a soft voice. Daryl opened up his eyes and acknowledged his father with a slight nod of the head. Tears were streaming down Daryl's face and he didn't have the energy to attempt to wipe them away.

"What happened with Benny and Nora…that wasn't your fault. Just like what happened with Sophia and Duane wasn't your fault either. You didn't make the wrong choice in saving Davia and Kat. Blake had no use for them, and had they been taken he most likely would have disposed of them. But with Benny and your momma, he wanted them back. They are his "property" so to speak, and he will hold onto what is his. It may not be ideal for them, but they will be alive. And that buys us time to figure out a way to get them back." Will told Daryl, still talking a calm and gentle voice.

"I still feel like there was more that I could have done. Why didn't I catch on to what Martinez was up too? How could I have not figured out he was the one who killed Karen. He was acting way too suspicious and I should have caught onto to the bullshit he was telling everyone about feeling remorse. He was just hoping he didn't get figured out. That's on me." Daryl said angrily.

"No Daryl, that's on all of us. This isn't your fault. Let me tell you something…if this had been thirty-five years ago, I would have saved my own skin and let you, your mother, and Merle fend for yourself. That's the difference between you and me. I was a monster, and you are savior. Son you can't let this eat at ya, because in the end, you'll make a mistake and it will cost you your life as well as your families lives. You gotta let it go. I believe with every fiber of my being we will get Nora and Benny back, but we gotta be smart and clear headed about this. Do you hear what I'm saying Daryl?"

It was the way that his father said his name that resonated with him. It wasn't an angry tone, and it was said with love and remorse at the same time. Will was giving his son good sound fatherly advice, and apparently what he said broke through Daryl's stubborn sense of guilt. Daryl sniffed, and began to wipe the tears from his face and raised his head in an act of strength. "So how are we gonna get them back?"

"I don't know yet, but once we get to Anchorage and see what the cards hold for us, we will come up with a plan. For now we know they are safe, so we need to focus on getting us all to a place where we are safe, and then we figure it out." Will said to his son in a very reasonable voice.

Daryl sat there silently. Then he spoke to his father "Thank you. Thank you for being there for me now when I need ya. All that shit in the past…it's the past. What's important is you're here now. I reckon Davia is worried about me…she always is. I'm gonna help her get the rest of everything together and then we need to get everyone set up for sleeping tonight. I assume you are on the same page as me when it comes to getting Momma and Benny back." Daryl asked.

"Ya Daryl…we'll get 'em back together. The Good Lord didn't bring your momma back into my life just to take her away from me. Ain't nothing that can defeat the Dixon's when we work together." Will told his youngest son.

…

As everyone settled for the evening, Daryl found himself unable to sleep. He had so much on his mind, and sleeping on the floor of his father's room was not ideal for him. He wanted so badly to have Davia's body against him, feeling his son kick and the sounds of her breathing. However with the horrific past twenty four hours they had been through, he felt it was the proper that he give up his bed so that Ingrid could sleep in his spot beside Davia. In fact, most of the men in the group had given up the beds in the cabins to allow the women to sleep comfortably. The ladies had been working as hard, if not harder than the men had and deserved a comfortable night's rest.

Davia who had been on her feet most of the day serving and taking care of everyone, as well as helping to pack up what she could, had offered give up her spot so Zeek could be with Ingrid. Zeek was almost mortified that the pregnant woman would even think of such a proposition and had informed her he would never be able to live with himself if she did that. Instead, it ended up with most of the men sleeping wherever they could find a spot in Will's Cabin, and the women were split between Nora's and the Dixon's cabin. Beth stayed with Hershel and Carol to tend to Brad, and Scottie was staying with Maggie until Beth could pull herself together.

Daryl had just started to finally doze off when he felt his foot being tugged. His initial reaction was to jump up and grab the hand that was pulling on him, but he looked up and saw that it was Corrine.

"What's wrong?" Daryl asked in a sleepy voice.

"Momma sent me over here to get ya, Davia is hurting and cramping and she is having some sort of panic attack. Momma says it isn't anything serious, but Davia got so scared her blood pressure jumped up and now Momma is afraid that with her pressure being up it could put Davia and the baby in danger." Corrine told him.

All Daryl heard was Davia, baby, and danger and he was on up and rushing over to the cabin where Davia was. He was still in his bare feet as he shot across the yard and into the house. Ingrid had moved Davia to the couch and had her hunched over trying to catch her breath while she rubbed soothing circles on her back.

Daryl could hear her labored breathing and quickly found himself crouched down in front of her.

"Sweetie I need you to take some deep breaths and let me know what happened." He told her in the calmest voice he could manage.

"I started feeling sharp cramps and I immediately thought the worse. I thought either I was going into labor or I was losing the baby." She said in a breathy voice.

"Ingrid said it isn't anything serious, but you are getting yourself worked up, and that is sending your blood pressure up higher than it needs to be. I need you to relax for me." He said gently.

"What if it is something else Daryl? We don't have a doctor anymore and there isn't anyway to be sure what is going on. What if the baby dies inside of me and turns into one of those things and it rips me apart? Who will take care of Kat and then you will meet and fall in love with someone else and I will be forgotten?" Davia burst into tears as her mind was running in a million different directions.

"Shhh. Ain't none of that gonna happen. Ingrid knows what she is doing, probably more so than Milton did. She's delivered dozens of babies and I am sure she can explain what is going on…Can't you Ingrid?" Daryl said, looking at the older woman with pleading eyes.

"Absolutely Daryl. Kitten, right now that little boy of yours is growing at a quicker rate and your uterus is stretching, that is causing you to feel the cramping. If you were bleeding I would panic, but we checked and you aren't, so everything should be just fine. Maybe a bit uncomfortable for now, but it should still be fine. I do want you to take it easy and rest. Your feet are swelling and I think it is best you don't do anything physical for at least twenty four hours." Ingrid told her, still trying to calm Davia down.

Corrine had prepared a cup of chamomile tea at Ingrid's instruction and Ingrid had Daryl lean back on the couch and cradle Davia to his chest. She then handed the younger woman the tea and told her that it would help her relax. Just Daryl's presence alone calmed Davia down and Daryl held her tightly. Corrine (who had been sleeping on the couch) traded places with Davia and took the bed with her mother, and Daryl fell asleep gently rocking his wife in his arms.

…

The next morning came too quickly. Daryl hardly felt rested, but at least he had been able to help his wife get some much-needed sleep.

"You're laying down in the back seat with Kat when we leave out of here. You need the rest and Ingrid said you needed to take it easy. We'll make you comfortable, but I ain't taking no for an answer. If anyone gives you shit, let me know." He said emphatically.

As everyone was loading up supplies and determining who would ride with whom, Rick called a small meeting before they departed.

"Look, this is going to be a dangerous trip and we all need to have patience and be extremely alert of the surrounding areas. Our drivers will be Zeek, myself, Daryl, Liesel, Morgan, and Abe." Rick stated.

Morgan stepped forward and cleared his throat "Rick, I'm not going with y'all. I've decided to stay here and work things out for a while."

Everyone gasped and Rick looked at the man in disbelief "Morgan, that's suicide."

"I'll be fine, but I want to stay here with my family. I'll find you again one day, but for now this is what I have to do." Morgan said emphatically.

"What about food and supplies Morgan…what we had is gone." Rick pleaded, hoping he could break through to his old friend.

"Rick, this land will provide for me. Right now I'm just at a place where I can't leave. I'll know when the time is right, and when it is…then I will find you. You have to trust me." Morgan replied.

There was a silence amongst the group and Rick finally spoke "Will, do you think you can handle driving responsibilities?"

Will nodded in affirmation and then they made the arrangements of who would ride in each vehicle. They had six vehicles, five SUV's and Zeek's truck with the camper over the bed of the pick-up. Hershel, Beth, and Brad would ride in the back and Carol would ride up front with Zeek. They would be pulling an industrial trailer and in that trailer were most of the supplies that they would need.

Abe handed out radio's to each of the drivers and it was decided that each vehicle would have someone dedicated to be a look out to assist the drivers. Zeek would lead the pack with Carol riding shotgun. The camper in back would hold the ailing Brad, Hershel, and Beth. That way they could continue to care for Brad with minimal stress on his body.

Rick, with Michonne assigned to his lookout would drive the second vehicle. Carl would hold Judith, and Eliza and Enid would ride in the far back. The next vehicle would be Daryl's SUV, and Corrine had agreed to be the scout, while Ingrid would help with Kat and Davia. Davia insisted she didn't need special treatment, but Daryl told her it wasn't a discussion. She reluctantly agreed and Ingrid and Daryl did their best to set her up as comfortably as possible in one of the two back seats.

Abraham would drive the fourth vehicle, with Glenn as his lookout and Maggie and Rosita riding in the back. Maggie had taken responsibility for Scottie, but Daryl could tell that the young boy was suffering major separation anxiety. He realized that Beth was terrified about Brad's condition, and he understood that, but he felt she needed to split her attention between her lover and her child. Beth was a mama now and she needed to act as such. He wanted to say something, but with all that she was going through at the moment, he didn't feel the timing was right. Fortunately, Maggie was doing a good job of trying to fill in for her sister, and Scottie did seem to be somewhat happy with her efforts.

The fifth vehicle would have Will as the driver and Sasha as his lookout. Gabriel and Eugene would ride in the back and Eugene had offered to keep Judith if she became too much for Rick and them to handle. Rick assured him that they would be fine, but promised him that there would be plenty of time in the future for him to spend with the child.

Picking up the rear of the pack would be the vehicle driven by Liesel. Second to Zeek, she knew the territory best. Tara would be their look out (the two women made one bad ass team) and Liesel's younger sisters Darla and Scarlett would ride along.

Each vehicle was loaded up with weapons, food, water, and blankets just in case any of them got separated. They were also all given instructions on how to use the radio and Rick had instructed them to tune into Channel nine. It was comforting to know that they had a means of communication.

Daryl had something he wanted to do before they left and he began to seek out Carol. She looked surprised when he approached to her, and then her eyes hardened when he finally reached her.

"Hey, I was going through some of Benny's things and I found this…I thought you might like it." He said handing her the sketch of Sophia that Benny had created.

Carol looked at it, then handed it back to Daryl. "I don't want it. I appreciate your need for me to forgive you for what happened, but I can't and I wont."

"I'm not asking for your forgiveness, I thought it would be something that you could remember your little girl by." He said, somewhat angrily.

"I don't want to remember her Daryl. That woman that was Sophia's Mother, and Ed's punching bag…she's gone. I can't hold onto that person anymore or I will die. Take that picture and give it back to Benny when and if you see him again. I don't need it." She said, turning coldly and walking away, leaving Daryl standing there stunned at her statement. One thing was for sure, Carol had grown cold, almost mechanical, and Daryl wasn't sure if that would be an asset or a liability to the group.

The group made a final trip to the cemetery that held too many of their family and said goodbye. Ingrid and Zeek were in tears as they knew they were leaving behind their daughter Vienna, and Corrine had fell apart as she knelt down beside T-dog's grave. The pain was recent and it cut deep, and Zeek found himself over come with emotion as he saw the hurt that his daughter was going through. Without a thought, he scooped his daughter up into his arms as if she was a small child, and carried her away from her personal agony.

Hershel had explained to Morgan what care the animals that survived the attack would need. That meant that Morgan could use them for his survival. Zeek also spent some time explaining the care his dogs would need, as he would be leaving them behind. He also took the time how to hook up the sled and gave him some tips on how to handle the pack. The only thing he asked of Morgan was that if he decided to leave that he would free the animals so that they could fend for themselves. Zeek's sled dogs were his pride and joy, and outside of his wife and daughters they were something that he cared for like family.

Finally as they said their good byes and loaded up, headed to Anchorage. Daryl felt bad for the Lindstrom's knowing they were leaving everything they owned and knew behind, but he was impressed at how none of them complained. They knew there weren't any other options, but as he checked in the rear view mirror, he could see the sadness on Ingrid's face. She had been like a mother to Davia, and he would be certain that whatever came in the future, he would do his best to make sure that the Lindstrom's would find happiness once again.

…

The first few hours passed without incident and Daryl thought they might actually have a chance of making Anchorage in one day. However as they followed Zeek and he took them on the secondary roads, he realized that they wouldn't be able to go much faster than twenty or thirty miles an hour. In fact, calling these roads secondary roads was a bit misleading. The roads hadn't been maintained in years and there were washouts and detours that often pulled the group off the main road and had them maneuvering through muddy ruts. At least they weren't dealing with snow and ice.

Before they left, it was decided that if they couldn't make it to Anchorage in one day, then they would stop half way in Sterling Alaska, which was the mid-point. Once they had stopped, everyone took the time to stretch their legs, relieve themselves, and just regroup.

Daryl took Kat from Davia and fixed her a bottle and fed her while Ingrid said that she wanted to check out Davia just to make sure she was still doing fine. He left the two women in the vehicle so that they could have some privacy and walked with his daughter over to Rick, who was also feeding and holding Judith.

"I was looking at the map and there is a town not too far from here that we might consider checking out for supplies." Rick told Daryl.

"Kenai? I saw it on the map too." He told Rick.

"Yeah, I was thinking maybe sending you, Michonne, and Zeek on a run in the morning. Do you think you could handle that?" Rick asked.

"Course we can. We'll go in and out, gather some medical supplies and some baby formula, and maybe possibly find a few weapons." Daryl said.

"I feel better with you going. That crossbow of yours is the perfect weapon for a run like this. Silent, yet you still have distance that you can put between you and who or whatever. " Rick said.

Daryl swallowed "I don't plan on bringing it. Michonne's got her Katana, and I've got a knife. I'm carrying a gun now, it's faster, more accurate, and I have more than one shot."

"Why don't you at least take your bow with you just in case." Rick asked him.

"I've packed her up already…it ain't worth the trouble of finding it." Daryl said. Rick sensed that there was more to the story than what Daryl was saying, but he didn't push the issue.

"Well I trust your judgement. If y'all head out at sunrise you should be back by mid morning and we can be on our way. We'll probably make Anchorage tomorrow evening before sunset, and then we'll find out what is left at the military base. Hopefully they can tell us what is going on, and they might have information on your mom and brother. I'm sure they are still monitoring radio broadcasts." Rick assured Daryl.

"We'll see, but I ain't holding my breath." Daryl said, changing the subject quickly.

Ingrid had examined Davia and told her that everything was fine. As soon as Daryl reached the vehicle with Kat he was relieved to see his wife smiling. He looked at her and she quickly told him "Clean bill of health. Everything is fine and my blood pressure is down and the swelling in my ankles and feet is down as well. You making me lie down was probably the best decision." She admitted.

"Good to know. Look, Zeek, Michonne, and I are going on a quick run tomorrow morning in the next town over. We'll be in and out before you know it, but if I'm not here when you wake up I don't want you to worry." He told her.

Davia sighed "Are you sure you have to do this?"

"Positive. We need baby formula and medical supplies for Brad. There is a Wal-Mart there and from what Zeek has told me, the town was pretty much empty before the outbreak because it wasn't tourist season, so it may be untouched. There is one good thing about Alaska, and that is that it isn't heavily populated." Daryl told her.

"We've only seen a few walkers so far since we have left, do you think we are getting a false sense of security?" Davia asked.

"Naw, I think Zeek was smart on leading us through this desolate route. If there aren't a lot of people, then there aren't a lot of walkers. Unfortunately as we get closer to Anchorage, our luck may change. That's why we need more weapons and ammo. We lost a lot during the attack and we need to get what we can." Daryl told her.

"I still have the gun you gave me, I just hope I don't have to use it. I know I can, but they still scare me. However, if anyone or anything threatens Kat or you, I will not hesitate to take them out." Davia told him.

"That's my girl." Daryl said, leaning in to give her a kiss.

Later that night they were all relaxing around a low fire discussing what they could possibly find in Anchorage. Davia had gone to check on Brad, and Beth looked exhausted.

"Bethy, why don't you take a break and spend some time with Scottie, I think he is missing his mama." Davia said, feeling the same concerns Daryl was about the little boy.

Beth didn't say anything, but her expression showed she was torn as to what to do. So Davia added, "I'll stay here with Brad while you do so. You're daddy is asleep in the front of the truck and I know you have to be worn out too. Stretch your legs, reconnect with your little boy, and let me handle things here." Davia said in the most reassuring voice she could muster.

"OK, but I won't be gone long." Beth said.

"Beth…spend some time with Scottie, he needs you too." Davia warned.

Beth's eyes welled up with tears, guilt and exhaustion evident in them. "I will Davia. Thank you."

Beth left the truck and Brad spoke to Davia "Thanks Davia. I've been trying to get her to leave my side, but she refuses." He said, his voice weak.

"I hate seeing you like this Brad, how are you feeling?" Davia asked as she reached out and squeezed his hand.

"Like hell, but I'm alive and that is what matters. My arm and shoulder hurt like a bitch, but at least I have feeling in them. Hershel was afraid of nerve damage. We're out of antibiotics though, and I am pretty sure I've got an infection…I'm running a fever, but I don't want Beth to know." Brad confessed.

"Does Hershel know?" Davia asked, concerned for her friend.

"Yeah, but I told him not to worry Beth. He said he would give Daryl and the other's a list of meds to look out for on their run tomorrow. If I can get the infection cleared up I should be fine." He told her.

"You know I can look through my botany books and see if there is anything we can use. In fact I'm going to go check as soon as Beth gets back." Davia assured him.

"Davia I wanna talk to you. You are one of my oldest and dearest friends and I need you to listen. When I first met you, I was smitten with you, but I didn't dare tell you that because I had my own demons I was dealing with and I didn't want to drag you into my mess. As time passed, and then you met and fell in love with Daryl, I was happy for you. You deserved that happiness, especially because of how poorly you were treated by others. I will go to my grave believing you have one of the best voices I have ever heard, and it was an honor to perform with you." Brad said.

"Brad stop talking like you are gonna die." Davia scolded.

"Look, I don't plan on it, but sometimes things happen that you can't control. Just promise me that if something happens to me, that you and Daryl will look out for Beth and Scottie. I love them both with all my heart and I will feel better knowing someone will protect them." Brad said somberly.

"I will Brad, I promise…but I will see to it that you get better, and you are with us…no matter what the future holds." She said, leaning in to give him a chaste kiss on the forehead.

"You're a beautiful woman Davia…inside and out. I always saw the beauty within that others sometimes didn't see. I know Daryl saw it too, that's why he is perfect for you. And you know what, I think you saw the beauty within him too…underneath that rough exterior. Y'all are soul mates and I'm thankful you found each other." Brad said giving her a smile and a tight squeeze of her hand.

"Alright Brad…let's talk about happier times. When are you going to propose to Beth?" She said, giving him a bright smile.

"As soon as I'm better and we know where we're going, I'll do it. We can have a ceremony in front of the group and have Gabriel preside over it. Will that make you happy Momma?" He joked.

"Not as happy as it will make Beth and Hershel." She said giving a laugh.

…

As everyone began to retire for the evening, Daryl was pretty adamant about taking first watch, but Rick refused to let him, reminding him that he would need to be rested and alert in the morning for his run with Michonne and Zeek. Reluctantly he agreed and he retired to the vehicle with Davia and Kat. Zeek opted to sleep in the vehicle as well with Ingrid, and Corrine took first watch with her sister Liesel and Tara.

Daryl had figured it would be difficult to sleep, but apparently he was more exhausted than he thought he was and fell asleep with relative ease. It wasn't until the first light began to break through the trees that he found himself rousing from his sleep. Carefully, he removed himself from Davia and checked on Kat who was asleep in a make shift crib in the front seat. They had taken an old picnic basket and turned it into a baby carrier/bassinet for her to use. It worked out great and made it convenient to carry the child around. Daryl got out of the vehicle and took Kat with him. He changed her diaper, fed her, and then quietly returned her to the front passenger seat where she had slept. By the time he had her settled in, Zeek had awoken and extracted himself from his wife and got out of the vehicle as well.

They were going to use the SUV that Will had been driving since it was a bit larger, had a winch, and full four wheel drive which would help out if they ran into any problems on their run. Michonne joined the men, and after checking their weapons and going over the lists of items that they would need they were finally ready to head out.

The trip to Kenai led them through more stunning landscapes of Alaska, but the beauty of the state that Daryl used to dream about visiting one day was now lost on him. All he saw now was a frozen tundra full of heartache and disappointment. They had come to Alaska because they thought it would give them a better chance of survival, but it seems they would have been in just as much peril had they stayed in Georgia. The only difference was he would have never met Zeek and his family, and for that Daryl felt the trip may have been worth it.

They made it to Kenai without any issues. The Wal-Mart had been left untouched and they loaded up on Baby supplies, the medical supplies that Hershel had told them to look out for, and then weapons and ammunition. While going through the hunting and fishing section of the store, Daryl found a child size crossbow that would be perfect for Scottie. Even though Daryl wasn't too fond of his own crossbow at the moment, he knew that Scottie would be excited if he had his own. Daryl picked up the bow, a quiver, and some bolts for it as well as some targets. He also then loaded up with a large supply of bolts that would fit his own crossbow…just in case. You never knew when you would come across a stash like this, so he opted to be on the safe side. Besides, if Daryl truly decided to permanently give up his bow, then he could let Zeek or his father use it.

As they left the store to head back to the camp, they came across something completely unexpected. A large Horde of walkers was passing down the road blocking their route back to the group.

"Shit, what do we do?" Michonne asked.

"Too many to take on. Everyone get down on the floor of the vehicle, stay out of sight, and stay as quiet as possible." Daryl barked out.

"How long do we wait." Michonne asked.

"As long as it takes." Zeek answered.

…

As mid-morning came and went, and then mid-afternoon was upon them, Davia and Ingrid became concerned. On top of that, Brad was getting worse. Davia did as she promised and read through her books on botany and found something she thought would help. She convinced Eugene to help her find what she was looking for.

"What is it we need?" Eugene asked.

"Yarrow flower…as much as we can find. They used it during Roman times to treat gunshot wounds and it had strong healing properties. We need to find it and then steam it, collect the steam, and then apply it to Brad's wound. It's got to work." She said emphatically.

They spent and hour and lucked out when they found a large patch of the flowers growing in an open field just off the road. As terrified as Davia was that Daryl hadn't returned, for the time being she pushed it to the back of her mind as her and Eugene made it back to the group. She followed the process of making the astringent as the book had directed her, and before long they had an adequate amount to use to treat Brad.

Hershel was relieved when she presented the bottle of the antibiotic and he quickly applied it to Brad's wound. They also administered him some Ibuprofen to bring down the fever and then they began the wait to see if his condition improved. The one good thing was that it appeared that Beth wasn't ignoring Scottie anymore and that the boy was becoming engaged with the others again.

As the afternoon progressed and the sun began to set, Davia's fears about Daryl were getting to her. Finally she and Ingrid approached Rick and asked if they could go and look for the missing group.

"We decided that we would not start a search party unless they haven't returned by sunrise tomorrow. It's too dangerous to split the group." Rick told Davia, and it left her a bit angry.

"Rick what is wrong with you? Michonne is out there too. Tomorrow morning might be too late?" Davia insisted.

"Daryl, Zeek, and Michonne are the most capable three of our group. They may have been detoured and it could be taking them a while to find an alternate route back to the camp. I am sure they are fine. Please Davia, I can't have you panicking, especially in your condition. Think about little Tristin growing in your belly. Ingrid, please tell her to take it easy." Rick pleaded. Whether or not he was remaining calm for her sake, or his own, he played the pregnancy card and there wasn't anything Davia could say that would make it better.

"Fine, but if they aren't back by first light we go look for them." She told him.

"I promise." Rick responded.

Davia tried her best to sleep, but she was too worried about Daryl to do so. She heard a knock on the car window and she prayed it was Daryl, but found Beth instead. She opened the door and soon found the younger girl wrapping her arms around her and crying.

"His fever has broken and the wound is less red. Daddy said the astringent is working. Davia…you saved his life." Beth cried out.

"Oh baby girl, I just read what the book said to do. I didn't do anything special." Davia assured her.

"That's not true Davia. I'm forever going to be indebted to you." She said hugging Davia even tighter.

"No you're not Beth because I won't allow it. Brad's my friend too, and anything I can do to help is well worth it to me." Davia insisted.

Beth shook her head and then told Davia she needed to return to her family. As she was leaving, she turned to Davia "They'll be back Davia. I know they will." Beth assured her. Davia hoped the young girl was right.

Davia finally managed to fall asleep when the lights inside the SUV came on and she felt a rush of cool air fill the vehicle. Kat immediately started to cry and Ingrid let out a few profanities. It was then that she realized that Zeek and Daryl had returned. Davia checked her watch and realized it was close to three in the morning.

"Daryl Dixon I'm going to kill you." She shouted. "OK, I'm going to kiss you and then I'm going to kill you." She said again as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him roughly down on top of her.

"Hey you two, get a room." Zeek replied as he embraced his own wife.

"What took so long?" Ingrid asked.

"A horde of walkers cut us off. We had to wait for them to pass. The bad news is they were headed towards Anchorage and we are probably going to run into some more hordes. We need to leave first thing in the morning and hope we keep ahead of the swarm we just dealt with." Daryl said.

"Are you OK? Is anyone hurt?" Davia asked, suddenly worried.

"No, how's Brad?" Daryl asked.

"You're wife saved his life." Ingrid told him. Daryl gave her a bewildered look and Ingrid went on to explain what Davia had done.

Pride welled up in his chest as he learned what his wife had done. "You did that baby?" He asked in a tender voice.

"I just did what needed to do." Davia replied, using a common answer that Daryl had often given to her.

"Look if y'all don't mind, I'm beat. We can talk about this shit in the morning." Zeek said, letting the younger couple know it was time to sleep.

Daryl held his daughter and got her to calm down from her abrupt disturbance, and softly laid her back into her bed to sleep. He then took his wife and wrapped her in his arms, pulling a pillow up behind him and wrapping them together in a blanket. For the second night in a row, he quickly fell asleep as exhaustion engulfed his body and his mind.

…

The next morning Davia took care of Kat's needs while Zeek and Daryl talked to Rick about their concerns with the horde they had run into the day before. It was agreed that they needed to pull up camp as soon as possible so they could beat the horde.

Daryl stopped to check on Brad before they left, and was amazed at how much better he seemed to be doing. Hershel had assured him that what Davia had done had most likely saved Brad's life, and the antibiotics that Daryl and the others managed to get on their run would only make Brad's recovery that much faster. As Daryl left Zeek's truck he spotted Scottie.

"Scottie, come here I wanna show you something." Daryl told him.

Scottie did as he was told and Daryl brought him over to his vehicle. He opened up the trunk and pulled out the crossbow, bolts, targets, and quiver he had found him the day before. "I got these for ya. I'm gonna hold onto to them for now, but once I show you how to use it properly, it's yours." Daryl told him.

Scotties eyes lit up like Christmas. "Really…this is mine." He said has he handled the bow and examined the quiver and the bolts.

"Yup, but you gotta learn how to use it responsibly. For now I'll keep 'em safe." Daryl said. He was soon just about knocked off his feet as Scottie jumped on Daryl to give him a hug.

"Damn boy, you're stronger than you look." Daryl said, letting out a laugh.

"Thank you Thank you Thank you Uncle Daryl. I love you." Scottie said, and Daryl felt a lump well up in his throat. He had never been referred to as an Uncle, and the honesty in the young boy's voice as he told him he loved him left Daryl a bit emotional.

"Hey kid, it's the least I could do for the boy who saved me all those months ago. I've got your back and I know you've got mine." Daryl said, giving the boy a wink. Scottie grinned ear to ear and gave Daryl a high-five as he ran to tell his parents what Daryl had done for him.

…

They were making good time as they were on the last leg of their trip. That was until they reached the outskirts of Anchorage. Just five miles from their destination they were unable to travel any further as the bridge that crossed over the ravine into Anchorage was gone.

They all began to get out of their vehicles to assess the situation and Rick and Zeek were perusing the map to see if they could find an alternate route. "We can head back five miles and take this split off to the right. It's twenty miles longer, but there aren't any bridges to cross. It's our best option." Rick said.

Zeek studied the route that Rick had proposed and agreed it was their best bet. Rick let everyone know what the plan was and they decided to take a thirty- minute break so everyone could stretch their legs and take care of any personal needs.

Davia checked on Brad and was relieved to see he had regained his color and was sitting up sipping some broth that Beth was begging him to let her feed to him. "I ain't an invalid Beth." Brad said in a teasing manner. He knew that if letting Beth feed him would make her feel better, then he should just give in and let her do it.

Daryl was patrolling the area when the wind shifted and he got a strong whiff of something foul in the air. He was about to say something when Zeek shouted. "Get in the vehicles NOW." To Daryl's horror he could see a horde of the undead coming up the road behind them, essentially trapping them as they were parked. The needed to go into the direction the horde was coming from, and they couldn't go forward because of the bridge. Now they were trapped.

For the second time in two days, Daryl found himself lying in the floorboard of a car waiting for the horde to pass. Fortunately as everyone stayed hidden and silent, the horde wasn't paying them any attention. And to make things even better, those that passed were continuing on toward the ravine and were plummeting to the bottom. Daryl was shocked that his luck was holding out again in the same situation. He let out a breath that he had been holding, but apparently it was too soon.

Suddenly and without warning, Kat began to scream. Her wails were piercing and the horde that had been passing by without incident now stopped and was headed towards the vehicle. Davia tried to calm Kat down, but the movement she was creating in an attempt to rock the child was enough to lead the horde into a fury.

It was too late. The vehicle began to rock as the undead began to beat on the body of the car and the windows. The roar was deafening and it just upset Kat that much more. Not knowing what to do, but also knowing that if he did nothing they would all die where they were, Daryl made a daring decision to attempt to push the horde away.

Pulling himself up through the sunroof, he took his gun and began to kill the walkers that were the most aggressive. Soon, Zeek, Michonne, Rick and others were doing the same thing, using up the ammunition they had in their vehicles. It seemed to be working as the numbers of the mobile undead seemed to be dwindling, but it also didn't take long for the entire group to be completely out of ammunition. At a loss of what to do now, Daryl was about to drop down to the ground and start dropping walkers with his knife. It was a less than ideal choice, but there were still too many of them to allow the group to leave.

"Daryl wait." Davia yelled. He looked down into the back seat and Davia handed him his crossbow and quiver. "I put it in the vehicle, just in case." She told him, giving him a sweet smile.

"Is there anything you don't think about?" He asked as he took the bow from her. Feeling it in his hands again, he couldn't help but immediately feel like he had the comfort of an old friend. One by one he began to drop walkers, clearing them out around the vehicle soundlessly, and those walkers that were still around seemed less frenzied. Davia had finally gotten Kat to calm down and when Daryl had cleared out a sufficient number of the undead he finally deemed it safe to drop down on the ground and began to retrieve bolts, while stabbing any wayward walkers that made their way towards him.

Unexpectedly, Daryl heard Davia scream and he turned around just in time to find two walkers on top of him. He took out one, but not before he felt a blinding pain in his shoulder as he caught the fetid breath of the walker that had caught him off guard. After that everything went dark and Daryl realized he had made the ultimate sacrifice to save his family.

**OK guys...I know you are going to want to kill me. FYI, only one more chapter left in this story. We will wrap up some loose ends and I think you will understand more about what happened at the end of this chapter.**

**FYI...I am disappointed in how little Daryl we have gotten so far in Season 6...so I hope we get a deluge down the road. I am actually happy to have this update up BEFORE the new episode tonight.**

**Please Please Please leave me a review and let me know what your think, as well as if there is anything you want addressed in the final chapter. There is going to be a pretty big reveal of something from the past in the next chapter and I think you might like it. **

**So I truly hope to hear from you...I would love to be slammed with reviews as we reach the end together.**

**Take care, enjoy the new episode this week, and Lets all hope there is much much more Daryl. I'm already bored with Morgan and I think they have taken Carol to an unrealistic level...Just saying.**

**Hugs and Kisses-**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


	50. Chapter 50

**So here it is...the final chapter.**

Daryl felt the burning in his shoulder and the side of his head was aching too, and he was somewhat amazed at how excruciating the bite felt. He heard a whirling sound around him that he couldn't quite place and the only thing he prayed for in that moment was that his family was safe, and that the agony of being ripped apart took him away from this world quickly. He let himself succumb to the darkness again and he couldn't help but smile knowing that he had gone out protecting those he loved.

He didn't know how long he was out, but when he came too, he had Davia hovering over him screaming at someone he didn't recognize. There was a soldier attempting to examine his bite wound and Daryl panicked knowing he hadn't died from the wound or been ripped apart. He tried to speak, to tell Davia she needed to end him now, but the words wouldn't form on his lips.

"Help him you asshole." He heard Davia screaming. He then heard more voices, Rick, Zeek, and his father, all pleading with the man to help Daryl. But he knew there wasn't much they could do with him now.

"What the fuck was this man? You don't just shoot someone like that." Zeek was hollering, his Norwegian accent playing out thickly.

Shoot? What did he mean shoot? Was he not bit? Was he shot instead…Daryl couldn't imagine being that lucky. Nothing made sense, and now the voices were becoming muffled and he could feel himself trying to slip into the darkness. He let out a loud groan hoping that the burst of sound would bring him out of the fog that was threatening to grab him again.

"Look Old man…I can fix gunshot wounds, but I can fix the bites of the undead. You fuck heads are damn lucky that I'm a good shot, or Robin Hood here would be Zombie chow." The arrogant soldier shot back.

By now a second soldier was joining the Malay. She was a tiny female who introduced herself as Corporal Violet Elmsworth, US Army. The woman was trying to diffuse the situation, but when the male soldier made a comment about the group being a bunch of inbred hillbillies, Davia lost her mind. The fear of seeing Daryl nearly taken out by a walker, then seeing him shot in front of her had sent her into a fury.

Before anyone could react, Davia pulled out the pistol she had tucked in the back of her jeans and pointed it at the cocky soldier. There was something about him that infuriated her…and she absolutely did not trust the fucker. With his olive skin and dark wavy hair she figured out what it was…he was a younger version of Shane.

Davia's actions caused a domino effect and the next thing that happened was the arrogant man pulled out his gun and had it raised to Davia's head before she could catch her next breath. Rick and Zeek then pulled out their weapons and Daryl panicked and pushed himself up off the ground, grabbing for his crossbow that lay beside him.

His head was spinning, and he could feel that God awful burning in his shoulder, but he couldn't let Davia be man handled by this prick.

"Wait…Wait, every one just calm the hell down. No one is here to hurt you." Violet shouted trying to diffuse the rapidly deteriorating situation. However, no one budged.

"Mike…put the weapon down for God's sake. She's pregnant and there is another baby in the car." Violet told the other soldier.

"Fuck this shit Gidget." He said as he lowered his gun, and the situation quickly calmed down.

"Lieutenant Mike Powell, Army Medic and pilot." The younger version of Shane finally said.

"Look I'm sorry, but my husband is wounded and this whole situation has taken me by surprise." Davia said trying to make an excuse for her behavior.

Daryl made his way to his wife's side, stumbling, but still remaining upright. "Did he just call you Gidget?" Daryl asked the young blonde.

"That's my nickname." She said smiling.

"She's a whiz with gadgets, but Gidget fit her better." The lieutenant said in a much more relaxed voice.

Rick then stepped forward "Look, we need to get out of here and to the other side of the ravine…we're trying to get to the military base before the herd up the road decides to make us dinner."

"Well we are the right people for this. We'll take Robin Hood and his gal here to the base in the chopper. I'll draw you a map that will take you about fifteen miles from here, but will allow you to access the base from the West. When you arrive, give them the code word 'SNOW BANK' and they will let you in. Ask for Gidget or myself and we will get you settled. Just so you know…there aren't many of us left." The young soldier communicated.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zeek asked.

"It means a lot of people went AWOL and are probably rotting in the bottom of this ravine. Look, we'll explain everything later. I need to get Mr. Hood here some medical treatment before he passes out and bleeds out on us." The soldier said. And with that, Gidget helped carry Daryl to the Chopper while Lt. Powell drew the map for Rick and the others. Davia retrieved Kat from Ingrid and then met her husband and the soldiers for the quick flight back to the base.

…

"How are you feeling sir?" Gidget asked Daryl as she dressed the wound. Lieutenant Powell had retrieved the bullet and stitched up the incision, and then stitched the cut on the back of Daryl's head where he fell and hit it on the ground.

"I'll live. Where's the dick head?" Daryl asked.

"Reporting to the commander and waiting for the rest of your group to arrive. If you would like, we can examine you and the baby Ma'am." The young corporal asked Davia.

"I think we're fine." Davia said, but Daryl spoke up.

"It would be much appreciated if you could do that. We lost our doctor a few days ago and she has been having some cramping." Daryl told Gidget.

"Daryl, I'm…"but she didn't get to finish.

"No, any chance we have for medical care we're taking advantage of it." Daryl said emphatically.

"Fine." Davia said, the frustration evident in her voice.

The medic examined Kat and Davia and gave them both a clean bill of health. "I believe the mid-wife is absolutely correct in her diagnosis about the cramping. You've got a healthy growing boy in your womb, and you are definitely well into your third trimester. I would put you at thirty two weeks according to the size of the baby." Gidget told her. "Would y'all like a print out of the ultra sound?" She offered.

Daryl's eyes went wide "Really, we can get one?"

"Sure, let me print it out for ya. I am a bit confused though…you said your daughter is five months old, yet you are almost into your eighth month…no offense, but he math doesn't add up." Gidget inquired.

"She's actually our niece. Her parents didn't make it, so we are raising her as our own." Davia informed the medic.

"I have to say, that's pretty admirable. You are going to have your hands full in a few months…especially with things as they are." She said looking at Daryl and Davia.

"Are they gonna let us stay here?" Daryl asked in a hopeful tone.

"Someone else is going to need to answer your questions…I'm not a liberty to discuss your future." She said, not really making eye contact with the others. An awkward silence filled the room and Lieutenant Powell entering the room interrupted it.

"Sir are you up to walking? Your group has arrived and our Commander would like to make proper introductions." The soldier said, less cocky than he had been earlier.

"I'm fine. Also wanted to thank you for what you did. Glad you are good shot or I might not be here right now." Daryl said in a gruff voice.

"Sorry I had to shoot ya, but it was better than the alternative." The soldier replied.

"Yeah, Thought I was a goner." Daryl confessed. It was almost overwhelming to realize just how close to death he had actually come. If Davia had to witness him being torn apart by walkers, he couldn't even fathom what that would do to her.

…

Daryl and Davia made there way to the group just as the commander arrived. Lieutenant Colonel John Gunn introduced himself to the group. He was a twenty-five year army veteran who had assumed command of the base just before the outbreak. He informed everyone that they had lost the majority of the soldiers due to desertion, and in the beginning they had lost several to the actual virus itself. When the outbreak occurred, many soldiers had been assigned to help with quarantining the cities, but the number of infected spread quickly, especially in Anchorage, and the majority of troops either left or were lost to the sickness.

Lieutenant Colonel Gunn or "Gunney" as he preferred to be called, cut an impressive figure to say the least. Davia thought he might have been one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. He had sandy hair, cut short, broad shoulders, various tattoos on his arms, and blue eyes that could pull you in and never let you go. His looks were manly and rugged, and he spoke with a Texas Drawl that could melt butter. She guessed he was in his mid forties, maybe just a little younger than Merle. The thing that impressed Davia the most was that when he was speaking, he made direct eye contact and seemed engaged in the conversation. He had an instant trustworthiness to him, just as Rick did.

Abraham began making introductions of everyone in the group. "This is our leader, Sheriff Rick Grimes, and his deputy Officer Daryl Dixon. We also have Special Agent Tara Chambler, Agent Dr. Eugene Porter, and Special Agent Rosita Espinoza. The Agents and I were part of a Special Task force for the CIA when things with Blake started going down. We began making arrangements to leave the Lower forty-eight and wait things out here after we found out what was going. Whether the Agency didn't believe us, hoped things would work out, or was already in bed with Blake, we didn't know. But this was the best alternative we could come up with. The virus was the proverbial wrench that sent everything to hell."

"What happened to the camp?" Gunney asked.

Daryl blurted out "Mother Fucking Blake is what happened to the camp. He attacked us."

Gunney looked at Daryl in disbelief, but didn't say anything. "So that was you guys? We saw the aircraft on our radar, but with only one fighter pilot left there wasn't anytime to scramble. We thought they were after the base and just missed the target."

Rick then spoke "No, they found their target. We lost good people, and they took others."

"Others? Like whom? Who would Blake come after all the way out here to take? Is there something you aren't telling us?" Gunney inquired.

Everyone looked at each other not sure what to divulge until Carol blurted out the answer the commander was looking for "It was Nora Blake and her son Benton. She is Daryl's mother and when she left Blake she convinced one of Blake's inner circle to bring her here. After she was done using him up, she went back to her Ex-husband, and her boy toy turned us all in. She's the reason we lost everything." There was anger and blame in Carol's voice, but if her outburst had any sort of effect on swaying the Lieutenant Colonel he didn't show it.

"Officer Dixon, can I ask where you and Sheriff Grimes are from originally?" Gunney asked.

Daryl couldn't really read what Gunney was inquiring about "Why does it matter, you now know what happened, and who I am." Daryl told the man.

Rick then spoke "Sir, we are from Blue Ridge Georgia, Just over the border from North Carolina."

"That's good to know. Why don't we get you all settled in here. There is an empty barrack that has plenty of room for everyone, and the mess hall is at your disposal. There aren't many of us here anymore. Kip and Alli are the only other soldiers besides Powell and Gidget and they are out on patrol right now. We also have two civilians, former convicts Axl and Oscar. You will know them when you see them." Gunny told them, letting out a hearty laugh.

Rick then spoke up "What about staying here sir? We can't make it out there with the way things are…this was our last chance and we are willing to help out and do anything we can to stay behind these walls. We are more than capable of taking care of ourselves." Rick said in a begging tone.

"We'll discuss it later, right now I have a few things I need to tend too. With the lack of soldiers on the base we all have multiple jobs. But please, all of you relax and help yourself to whatever you find. Is everyone set up for weapons?" The man asked.

"We could always use more." Abraham responded.

"We will make sure everyone is properly armed. Also, if you are interested, we can give everyone a medical exam as well. I noticed you have other members of your group here who appears to be injured, was this from the attack the other day?"

Hershel nodded. "Then please take advantage of our medical staff. They'll get everyone fixed up." Gunney told them.

…

A few hours later and the battered group found themselves in the Mess Hall enjoying a hot meal and a few adult beverages. Apparently the base was stocked up on high quality alcohol. The mood had shifted from somber to one of hope.

Each of them had picked out an actual private dorm in the barracks and would be able to enjoy a nice comfortable rest in privacy. The remaining soldiers had provided them access to the abundance of military fatigues in place of the filthy clothes most of them had on, and now everyone was clothed in army green, tan, white, and camouflage.

Daryl was dressed in a new pair of boots, camo pants and an army green shirt, while Davia was wearing a pair of matching camo pants with an oversized T-shirt. Without maternity clothes it was difficult to dress her figure. At least they were clean.

Just as the alcohol began to flow and the laughing ensued, Gunney joined the group. He helped himself to a high ball glass of Crown Royal and offered up a toast to the group of survivors.

"Here's to hope." He said as he raised his glass.

Daryl offered up a joyous "Booyah" and everyone else clinked their glasses together. The medics had done a good job of patching up Daryl, Brad, Hershel, and Will and everyone was now in high spirits. They spoke of those they lost, not in sadness, but in joyful memories.

Finally Rick asked the million dollar question "Officer Gunney, are we going to be allowed to stay here on the base? Like I said, we are more than willing to pull our weight. To be honest, we don't really have a place to go." The pleading in Rick's voice was obvious.

"Well I have good news and bad news on that front." Gunney replied. "The base will not be functioning in two days. We are shutting it down and returning to the lower forty-eight to support the cause."

Everyone's faces fell at Gunney's response. Tears immediately came to Davia's eyes. What were they going to do? She was going to have her son sometime in the next two months, and the thought of giving birth in the frozen tundra of Alaska didn't leave her feeling enthusiastic.

Immediately Gunney began to continue to speak "We are returning to Fort Benning, and you are all more than welcome to accompany us. But let me explain what you are returning too." He said, giving a pause before he began to explain the conditions of the South.

"When the shit hit the fan, the virus began to spread rapidly, and the larger cities such as Atlanta fell quick. Originally they were going to set Atlanta up as a refugee camp, but no one realized what a disaster that would turn out to be. I'm sorry to say, but after a few days, Atlanta was completely lost and then it became a mission of preservation. They bombed the city to try to keep the large number of infected at bay, but it didn't work. As a result of this virus, nearly ninety eight percent of the population has been wiped out. Of the nearly three hundred million people in the entire United States, only about five million have survived, and that may be overstating it a bit. The less populated areas had higher survival rates, but that isn't saying much. We thought Alaska would fare better, but after a few months, when the survivors didn't come, we knew things hadn't panned out like we thought." The Lieutenant Colonel informed them.

Daryl then spoke "So what is left?"

"Rick mentioned that you are from Blue Ridge, and that is where the good news comes into this. Blue Ridge has been basically untouched by the virus. There were some small outbreaks of the virus, but forces had moved in quickly at the onset of this disease, and those small outbreaks were handled. For all intents and purposes Blue Ridge is operating like the Capitol of the south. It's a major military staging area, and its high terrain has helped to keep hostile forces from invading. A former CongressWoman, Deanna Monroe and her husband have been leading the forces. Walls have gone up around the area and it is protected. They have put a system in place allowing people to return to their homes, and providing housing for those that have managed to make it to the area. All anyone has to do is show identification and they are allowed to return to their homes. They haven't had issues with anyone taking over land and property that doesn't rightly belong to them. The only housing that gets turned over to a refugee is housing that had no survivors. Therefore, your homes and land should not have been touched in your absence."

"This sounds a lot like the American Civil war." Beth said.

"It is very similar, except this time the South has the majority of Military bases and soldiers. Blake is struggling to maintain control, but he has one thing on his side, and that is more manpower. We have weapons and they have people. So right now it's essentially a draw. We do have Intel on Blake though, an inside guy who's been there since the beginning. He's part of Blake's inner circle, and he has been reporting on a regular basis. Unfortunately Blake is too well protected to allow a clean assassination. Plus, if that were to happen, it would create bigger chaos. Blake would be a Martyr and it would push his cause further."

"So John, why hasn't there been any individuals in the Northern territory that has attempted to make a stand against Blake? Surely there are people who realize the guy is a total dictator shoving sunshine up their asses." Abe asked.

"They're scared. Blake has 're-training camps' all over the place. These 'camps' make Andersonville Prison look like a tropical vacation. Torture, slavery, and abuse like this country has never seen before. It would be comparable to the Concentration camps of World War two. Anyone who speaks against Blake, or for that matter, acts or is determined to be an 'undesirable' is imprisoned in these camps. Only a handful of people have made it out of these camps, and their stories are bone chilling. The worse part about it is that no one knows who they can trust, so Blake has that part of the country under control by ruling with fear."

Daryl sat and took in everything that the Lieutenant Colonel was saying. Even the alcohol he was nursing couldn't keep his blood from running cold. He had to find out more information from Gunn, and he needed to know if there was any information about his mother and brother. The more Daryl learned about Blake, the more he feared for his family.

"So you are willing to take us back to Georgia?" Maggie asked.

"There is one catch…you have to swear or affirm your loyalty to the true Constitution of the United States, and you have to agree, that if you are called upon, you will fight to protect our Nation. We have one goal, take out Blake and restore the country. There isn't any way we have a chance of fighting this virus with the country divided. There is truth to the statement 'A house divided against itself can not stand'. If we can remove Blake, then maybe we can get enough infrastructure back to finally focus on finding a cure."

"I'll do it." Hershel stood up and said proudly. "There isn't anything I wouldn't do to prove loyalty to my country."

"Me too." Will followed. Before they knew it, everyone had agreed and Lt. Colonel Gunn was administering the oath to everyone. Daryl had to admit that he suddenly felt a sense of pride in defending a cause he truly believed in. Other than his family, his country was the only other thing he would willingly die for. He knew the others in the group felt the same way.

After everyone settled back down, the joyous mood returned, and everyone was talking about returning to Georgia. Davia and Beth couldn't hold back their excitement. They were going to go home and both of them were overwhelmed with joy. They all suddenly were filled with a sense of purpose.

As the alcohol continued to flow, and the conversations picked up, Gidget asked Zeek how he and his wife managed to make it to Alaska from Norway.

Zeek, who had put away his share of Alcohol, spoke proudly "Mother Fucking Gold. We were young, hell, Ingrid was only sixteen, and we ran off, got married, sold everything we had, and flew out here. I bought a small parcel of land and started prospecting. We spent the first three years without a pot to piss in. I literally built us a shack to live in. Ingrid got pregnant with Liesel pretty much right away. We could barely afford the medical care, but we survived. I finally lucked out and hit my pay streak. From there, we continued to invest and purchase more claims. It paid off in the end, and then I branched out into purchasing a fishing boat and a few other ventures and the Good Lord blessed us. I like to go big with everything I do…and here we are. Money doesn't mean shit these days, but I'm the luckiest son of a bitch there is. A beautiful wife, Seven daughters and whole lot of fucking friends." He said offering his glass up in a toast.

Liesel then spoke "Daddy, are you scared about leaving all of this behind?"

"The only thing I'm sad about is we are leaving Vienna behind. I'm getting to old for all this fucking cold weather anyway. Bring on the heat." He said, once again raising his glass in a toast.

The remaining evening was spent in happiness, and by the time midnight had rolled around, Daryl was stumbling drunk and Davia was helping him get to their dorm room. Will had slipped out earlier and was spending time with Kat so that Daryl and Davia could have a moment to relax and just enjoy everyone's company. It had been a terrifying day, but now they had hope. Daryl had survived what everyone was sure was a certain death, and now they all had a common goal.

Just as they had made it back to their dorm, Gunney approached him. "Daryl, I was wondering if you, your father, and your wife would join me in the morning for breakfast? I have a few things I would like to discuss with you."

"Shit, what did I fuck up now?" Daryl asked, his words slurring.

"Nothing, I just thought that I might have some news that might interest you, and tonight probably isn't the best time to discuss it." Gunney said, amused at Daryl's unsteady steps.

"Yeah, we'll see ya then." He replied, hoping that it was information about his mother and Benny.

…

Daryl's head was throbbing, and Kat was wailing and the combination of the two events was not putting him in a good mood. Davia was struggling to get out of bed, her belly full of his son was weighing her down, and Daryl knew he needed to get up and help. "You need to stay in bed, I can take care of Kat." He told her. He let out a groan and got up to check on his little girl. She stopped crying as soon as he picked her up and Daryl let out a sigh of relief.

"Shhh baby girl. Daddy's gonna get ya fixed right up." He said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. Daryl found a clean diaper and changed her, then prepared her a bottle of formula and slumped down in a chair and began to feed her.

Davia laid in the bed and watched the love of her life care for their child. There wasn't anything more beautiful than seeing this gentle and loving side of Daryl.

"How's your head this morning?" She asked him.

Daryl let out a grunt confirming what she suspected. "Shoulder hurts worse than the head though." He admitted to her.

"Oh you know, gunshots and all of that stuff, I heard they aren't comfortable." She teased. She knew how bad her hip had hurt her when she had taken a bullet a few months back.

"Gunney wants to meet us and Dad for breakfast. Say's he has news for us." Daryl told her.

"OK, why don't we get cleaned up and then grab your father. I'll help you shower so you don't get your shoulder wet." She told him. If Daryl felt better he would definitely take advantage of the fact they had privacy, but with his hangover, and the throbbing in his shoulder, he just didn't have the energy to put forth the effort. Maybe tonight he would feel a little better.

It took them about an hour to get themselves ready and find Will. The Dixon's made their way across the base and found Gunney going over plans for the day. He gave the group a wave and led them to the mess hall. There was a large selection of food available for them to enjoy including orange juice, which none of them had the luxury of enjoying since before the turn.

Daryl, being as subtle as a powder keg asked immediately if Gunney had information on his mother and brother. "I do, but that isn't why I asked you all to breakfast. We'll discuss that later."

"So what is so important that you wanted to talk to us privately." Will asked in a much kinder tone than Daryl.

"When you guys first came in last night I saw Daryl and yourself, and there was something very familiar in your eyes and mannerisms. Then when I found out your name was Dixon and you were from Blue Ridge, something clicked. Merle Dixon. Or as I knew him, Sergeant Merle Dixon." Gunney told them.

Silence. "You knew Merle?" Daryl finally whispered.

"I knew Merle well, in fact, better than most. I hope he made it through the tragedy and just opted to not to come out here to Alaska with the rest of you." Gunney asked.

Daryl looked down, unable to speak suddenly. Davia spoke for him "Merle passed away shortly before the turn."

Gunney looked visibly upset. "Did he ever get over the tragedy?"

Will looked at Daryl, and Daryl looked at Will and Davia. "What are you talking about?" Daryl finally asked.

It became obvious to Gunney that none of the Dixon's knew anything about Merle before he returned to Blue Ridge all those years earlier.

"He never told you?" Gunney asked, knowing the obvious answer.

"You gonna tell us now?" Daryl asked, in an irritated voice. Gunney couldn't get over how much of Merle's disposition that Daryl possessed.

"Merle and I served together. He was my Sergeant and I was his Corporal. We were stationed in Kuwait during the first Gulf war. He saved my ass more than once. We were out on patrol one day when we came under attack and Merle was the first to draw fire. He was wounded, but he still managed to take out half of the infidels. Toughest son of a bitch I ever met." Gunney said fondly. Daryl felt his heart well with pride hearing about Merle's heroic actions.

"Merle was a fucking amazing sniper and he was on the fast track to move up through the ranks. He was a man's man and the soldier we all wanted to be. However, after he was wounded they flew him to Germany to get medical treatment. That's where he met her." Gunney informed them.

"Her?" Will asked.

"Katerina. She was Ukrainian and living in Frankfurt. She had been volunteering at the hospital and Merle became her favorite patient. He used to call her his 'Katya'. She was a stunner and Merle fell for her hard, and she fell for him. He stayed in Frankfurt for two months before he was shipped back to Kuwait, and he missed her something awful." The Lt. Colonel told them, remembering a love sick Merle.

"I ain't never known Merle to fall head over heels for a girl." Daryl said, amused at what Gunney was telling him.

"Trust me, he was more than head over heels for Katya. He was undeniably in love with her. Being in Kuwait while she was in Frankfurt was killing him. He called her every night and they wrote at least two letters a day to each other. He fell hard and he fell fast."

"Why didn't he ever say anything, and what happened to her?" Daryl asked, now curious as to why Merle had never mentioned her. Gunney's story was beginning to answer a few questions for Daryl though. He always suspected there was something in Merle's past that he never revealed, and maybe this Katya breaking up with him was what it was.

"We were doing our patrols one day and a woman with an infant walked into the base before anyone realized she was strapped down with explosives. Merle saw what was happening and had to make a very difficult split second decision. He had to take out the woman, which meant killing the baby, or there were going to be numerous casualties inside the base. It was a complete lapse of judgement by our forces that put Merle in that position. He did what he had too, and he took the shot. She exploded on impact, but other than her and her child, there weren't any other casualties or injuries. Just some damaged fences and vehicles. Merle had saved dozens of US Soldiers, and he was given an award, but he wanted no part of it. Killing the infant left Merle emotionally scarred. Shortly after that he was transferred to Fort Irwin in Barstow California, and I requested a transfer as well. Merle was given a two week leave, and he returned to Frankfurt, married Katya, and then they relocated to California."

Daryl was speechless, but Will asked, "What happened after that?"

"Merle was treated successfully for PTSD, and then he returned to duty in Barstow. He became a drill sergeant, and a damn good one. His recruits loved and feared him at the same time. Merle was the happiest I had ever seen him. He had told me about his past struggles with violence, as well as drug and alcohol abuse, but knowing Merle like I did, I couldn't see him like that. Needless to say, a few months after they got married, Katya got pregnant and nine months later they had a healthy baby boy. They named him Ilya David Dixon and he was the spitting image of his father. He was Merle's pride and joy. He mentioned that he had a baby brother back in Georgia that he wanted to contact, but we received orders that we were being sent back to Kuwait for six months. It near about killed Merle knowing he was going to be away from his wife and son, but he knew he had a job to do, so he sucked it up and did what he needed to serve his country." Gunney continued.

"Did something happen while he was stationed in Kuwait?" Davia asked.

"No, everything went well. He called and wrote Katya each day, and she sent him pictures. The kid was about as cute as I had ever seen. We served our mission and then we returned just as planned. Merle had made arrangements for Katya and Ilya to meet him at the base, and then they were going to leave for a weekend in San Francisco. Merle was a happy son of a bitch that day we returned. But when we landed, and the families all gathered at the Kiss and Cry area, Katya wasn't there. Instead two MP's were there to tell Merle that Katya had been killed on the way to the base, and that his son was in the NICU at the hospital. Merle stumbled when he heard the news, and I thought he was going to break down right there, but he knew he had to be strong and get to the hospital to be with his son." Gunney said sadly.

You could have heard a pin drop in the room. Daryl felt a lump form in his throat.

"I made the funeral arrangements for Katya, and Merle acted as good soldier should, but as soon as the service was over he headed back to the hospital to be with his son. Ilya held on for two weeks, but his body grew to weak, and Ilya slipped away in the middle of the night. I was there with Merle when it happened, and I have never seen a man so broken. I think a part of Merle died that night when Ilya passed. Hell, I think a part of me died too. Katya and Ilya were like my family as well. It was gut wrenching."

Daryl closed his eyes. He now knew what it was that sent Merle back down the road of drug abuse and violence, he was trying to drown out his pain. And apparently, he never could make it go away. Daryl remembered Merle having nightmares, and whenever he asked him about it, Merle's response was for him to "Mind his own fucking business." Now Daryl understood. Merle never wanted Daryl to know about what he had gone through, because if he knew about it, then it meant that Merle would have to talk about it, and apparently that was too painful for him to do.

Daryl had a lump in his throat, and Will physically let out a sob. Both Will and Daryl were unable to speak and Davia had tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry you all didn't know this about Merle, and I'm sorry I had to tell you. I just thought you would like to know what had happened. I had hoped you would have good news to tell me about him, but based on your reactions I think it safe to say that things didn't get any better when he returned to Blue Ridge. After Ilya's death Merle began to pull away and he began to drink heavily. I thought he was just trying to get over things, but apparently it was worse than I thought. It was about a month later when he got a call from a friend back home that told him that his brother had had a construction accident and was in bad shape. The last thing Merle said to me before he left was that he couldn't stand to lose any more family. He received an honorable discharge and within two days he was gone. I never heard from him again. But I do have this." He said, handing Daryl a picture of Merle in uniform, holding his son with a hand on his wife's shoulder. She was indeed a beauty, and Ilya was the spitting image of Merle.

Davia was rubbing soft circles on Daryl's back trying to offer him a sense of relief. She knew that this was all new to him and that he never understood what had sent Merle spiraling out of control. Now he did, and it didn't make things any better. Maybe if Merle had talked to someone about it they could have gotten him help and things would have turned out differently than they had, but it did no good to think about that now. Merle was gone, and he died carrying a horrific secret to his grave.

Will wiped away his tears and reached for Kat. "Gunney, this is Merle's daughter Kat. Ironic that Daryl came up with the same name as Merle's wife, but I think God had a hand in that. Merle passed away before she was born, and Davia and Daryl are raising her as their own. I think Merle would be honored if you held her."

Gunney looked emotional at Will's suggestion, but he took the little girl and cuddled her in his arms. "She looks a lot like her brother. There is definitely a lot of Merle's features in her beautiful little face."

They ate their breakfast in relative silence then Daryl finally had the courage to ask, "So you have information on my mother and brother?"

"I know that they are safe, and that Blake has them under heavy security. They were spotted in public yesterday, but neither one of them were unescorted. Blake made a statement offering a reward for anyone who could bring you or your father to him to answer for the kidnapping. He's portraying it as an inside job initiated by you both. That means when you return to Blue Ridge, there is the chance that one of the rebels may try to get to you or your family." Gunney said in a concerned voice.

"Let 'em try. I promise you this, I will get my mother and my brother back, and Philip Blake will regret the day he was born. You don't fuck with a Dixon. If I have to kill the bastard myself, I will." Daryl said emphatically.

"I tell you what Daryl, when we get back to Georgia, and everything gets settled, I will make it my priority to help you get them back. We still need more information, and the timing isn't right at the moment, but we will get them back, and we will get them to Georgia. Your brother saved my ass more than once, and I owe this to him." The Lt. Colonel said with a new passion. One thing was for sure, and that was he knew why Merle liked the guy so much.

…

The remaining time on the base was spent loading supplies onto the C-5 Galaxy that was going to take them home. Daryl was a little quieter than normal, but Davia understood with all that he had learned about Merle, he had a lot to process. For years Daryl had blamed himself for Merle's demise, but now he knew that it was a situation much worse that destroyed Merle. And truth be told, if Daryl found himself in a place where he lost Davia and Kat, he couldn't say he wouldn't go down the same path. That night Daryl held Davia a little tighter than normal, and he was reluctant to put Kat in her crib. He wanted to hold onto them as closely as he could and never let them go.

The next morning Daryl and Davia laid in bed discussing what the future would hold. They would get to sleep in that fantastic bed that Davia had purchased back before the turn, Davia would continue to pursue her botany projects and Daryl would do everything he could to provide, food, clothing, and security to his family and friends. The Lindstrom's and Will would be moving into the house, and Zeek and Daryl had already agreed to see if they could open the basement back up and finish it off, providing more room for all of Zeek's girls. Eventually they would build a second home on the property for Zeek and Ingrid, but for the time being, they would all live together in close quarters. It would be worth it.

Ingrid would help with the birthing of Tristin and she would be there to offer both physical and moral support for Davia. Daryl knew that at any moment they could be called upon to help fight for the cause, and he was prepared to do so. Just like Merle had done in the past, he would serve his country proudly, and hopefully one day things would return to normal.

As the last of the supplies were loaded onto the plane, and Gunney debriefed everyone, Daryl couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement. As the engines fired and the plane began to hurdle down the runway Daryl had one thought on his mind…home. He felt the landing gear retract and realized this was the first time he had ever flown. With all the excitement he hadn't even thought of it. He felt the exhilaration as the plane accelerated, and it matched the exhilaration in his heart.

He pulled Davia and Kat into his arms and placed his hand on Davia's belly. "We're going home Baby…we're really going home to Georgia."

**I want to offer a huge thanks to everyone who took the time to review and comment on this story. It has taken over a year to write, and these characters are now a part of me. **

**I plan on eventually writing a sequel about their return to Blue Ridge, but for now I am kicking around a new story. It's been on my mind for months now, and I hope when I begin to post it, you will take the time to give it a chance. Of course, it will be full of Daryl goodness...How can you not love the character of Daryl Dixon.**

**I know Season six is only four episodes in, but I think it's been great, just not enough DD for my taste, but I know Episode 6 is going to be loaded down with Daryl. He looks amazing on that motorcycle. **

**Thank you once again from the bottom of my heart. I love each and every one of you guys.**

**Hugs and Kisses...**

**Missy**

**XXOO**


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